Sarah Palin says U.S. immigrants had 'better be here legally' and 'speak American' as she echoes Trump's assertions that 'we're a nation that speaks English'

• Ex-Alaska governor is in line with Republican front-runner on many issues
• Said during a CNN interview 'unifying aspect' of the US is English language
• Donald Trump attacked rival Jeb Bush for answering a question in Spanish 
• Palin ripped President Obama for 'missing points' on climate change trip
• Said president didn't see an expanding glacier or visit oil industry workers
• Takes weather changes 'seriously' but won't blame them on man's footprint
• Also defended Trump after terror leader 'gotcha questions' from radio host

By Evan Bleier For Dailymail.com and Reuters

Published: 10:52 EST, 6 September 2015 | Updated: 13:53 EST, 6 September 2015

In a far-ranging interview that aired on Sunday, Sarah Palin backed Donald Trump's over his 'immigrants must speak English' comments and blasted President Obama for his 'jaunt' to Alaska. 

The issue of English being spoken in the United States was raised because of Trump's recent statement to a news conference in New York that: 'We're a nation that speaks English.'

The Republican front-runner felt compelled to address that topic because he criticized Jeb Bush for answering a question in Spanish and said his rival should only speak in English when in the US.

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Sarah Palin voiced her support for Donald Trump's assertions about English and blasted Obama on CNN

Trump recently told a news conference in New York that 'We're a nation that speaks English'

Trump criticized Jeb Bush for giving an answer in Spanish and said he should speak in English in the US

Palin partially defended Bush, who is bilingual in Spanish and frequently breaks into the language at his events, but came down squarely on Trump's side while on State of the Union on CNN. 

The former Alaska governor said: 'It's a benefit of Bush to be able to be so fluent, because we have a large and wonderful Hispanic population building America, and that's a great connection he has with them. 

'On the other hand, I think we can send a message and say, 'You want to be in America, A, you'd better be here legally or you're out of here. B, when you're here, let's speak American... Let's speak English, and that's a kind of a unifying aspect of the nation is the language that is understood by all.'

She also defended Trump after he was asked 'gotcha questions' by radio host Hugh Hewitt and he seemed baffled by the names of terror leaders and couldn't distinguish Hamas from Hezbollah.

Hamas is a Palestinian militant group and Hezbollah is an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon. 

Palin previously showed she identifies with Trump on many issues when he appeared on her show

The potential Trump administration employee struck out at Obama's 'Global warming tour' (Obama pictured)

Palin partially defended Bush (seen on her show) but seemed to come down on Trump's side of things

Palin said: 'I think I'd rather have a president who is tough and puts America first than can win a game of trivial pursuit. 

'But I don't think the public gives a flying flip if somebody knows who, today, is a specific leader of a specific region or a religion or anything.'

She went on to criticize President Obama for missing things on his climate change trip to Alaska and pointed out he did not go see a glacier that is expanding or visit with oil industry workers.

The potential Trump administration employee struck out at Obama's 'Global warming tour'. 

She said: 'I take changes in the weather, the cyclical changes that the globe has undergone since the beginning of time, I take it seriously, but I'm not going to blame these changes in the weather on man's footprint.'

Palin also ripped into the president for not taking the time during his 'tourism jaunt' to address the Chinese warships off the Alaskan coast or Russia laying claim to land and waterways in the region. 

She added: 'How about, while he was up here, he as president carried a big stick instead of a selfie stick?

'He could start publicly berating these countries that are sticking it to us with the messages they are sending.'

The sentiments Palin expressed during the interview were similar to things she wrote in a piece for the Independent Journal about the president's visit to Alaska. 

Palin wrote she was glad Obama 'loved Alaska' and that 'residents were excited to see you' but that now his administration could keep golfing, wiping servers, taking selfies and sitting on its thumbs. 

The outspoken politician also touched on an issue that is dear to her heart. 

Palin's son Trig has Down syndrome and the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee said she wanted Ohio Gov John Kasich to ban abortion in cases where the fetus is diagnosed with the condition. 

She said: 'I don't think because the child has one extra chromosome they should be able to snuff that life out.

'There is some fear there of the unknown. 

'Certainly, there was fear in my heart about how in the world are we going to be able to handle the challenges up ahead, not necessarily thinking of the beauty that could come from a child being different, being unique.'

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