WASHINGTON — (CNN) President Barack Obama on Tuesday unleashed a blistering verbal assault on Donald Trump and his proposal for a ban on Muslims entering the country, saying the proposal violates the principles of American democracy and dismissing the “yapping” from “politicians who tweet.”

Obama also angrily pushed back against criticism that he doesn’t use the term “radical Islamic terrorism,” calling it “loose talk.”

“Calling it by another name isn’t going to make (the problem) go away,” Obama said in Washington, adding, “This is a political distraction.”

“Someone seriously thinks that we don’t know who we’re fighting? Is there anybody out there confused about who our enemies are? That would come as a surprise to the thousands of terrorists we’ve taken off the battlefield.”

He did not use Trump’s name, but his target was clear when he referred to the presumptive Republican nominee and called out Republican leaders for not opposing him.

Obama also called for Congress to pass tougher gun laws and the renewal of the assault weapons ban.

“We have to make it harder for people who want to kill Americans to get their hands on weapons of war that let them kill dozens of innocents,” Obama said. “Enough talking about being tough on terrorism. Actually be tough on terrorism.”