Sparking outrage after she called for the closure of Australian borders to Muslim people in the wake of the Nice terror attacks, Sonia Kruger has responded to her critics.

Posting on Twitter, the TV host says she should be “able to discuss these issues without automatically being labelled a racist”.

pic.twitter.com/fDit1iRvuj

— Sonia Kruger (@SoniaKruger) July 18, 2016

She says discussion of such issues is “vital in a democratic society”. Sonia’s co-host, David Campbell, also posted on Twitter after the incident, declaring that “words were not his friends”.

Words are not my friend this morning ???????? @TheTodayShow — David Campbell (@DavidCampbell73) July 18, 2016

Earlier today, while appearing onThe Today Show, Kruger was speaking aboutHerald Suncolumnist Andrew Bolt’s most recent column, which attributed the rise of terror attacks in France to their intake of Muslim immigrants.

“I think Andrew Bolt has a point here… there is a correlation between the number of people in a country who are Muslim, and the number of terrorist attacks,” she said.

"I want to feel safe", Sonia said of closing Australian borders to Muslims. Photo: The Today Show

"I have a lot of very good friends who are Muslim, who are peace-loving, who are beautiful people, but there are fanatics."

"Personally, I would like to see [Muslim immigration] stop now for Australia, I want to feel safe, and I want to see freedom of speech," she continued.

Her co-host David Campbell interrupted, disagreeing with Sonia's statement and calling for "freedom of religion".

Sonia's co-host disagreed with her statements. Photo: The Today Show

"They both go hand in hand! This breeds hate, this sort of article breeds hate," he argued.

Viewers on Twitter were also quick to slam Sonia's stance:

Oh @SoniaKruger???? Creating division is exactly what the extremists want. You've just handed them exactly the commentary they want.

— Jonathan Brown (JB) (@JB_AU) July 17, 2016

@SoniaKruger I can't believe you can make such racist and horrid remarks about immigration on national television. That is disgusting — kc (@obliviouslester) July 17, 2016

@TheTodayShow Wow, Sonia Kruger, you are a RACIST.

— Sassy Lassie (@NaughtySec) July 17, 2016

@TheTodayShow Never thought I'd see @SoniaKruger and #DonaldTrump in the same sentence! — Gerard Payne (@GerardPayne) July 17, 2016

Apologies to Muslim Australians who were subjected to the xenophobia on @TheTodayShow Sonia Kruger doesn't speak for me, you're welcome here

— Jenna Meiksans (@jen_meek) July 17, 2016

I, too, want Sonia Kruger to feel safe which is why I'm calling for her to be put on a big barge alone and shipped out to sea. — Colley (@JamColley) July 18, 2016

@SoniaKruger I wonder what your "lots of" peace loving "Muslim friends" think of your comment. I doubt they agree with you, at all.

— Salem (@Salem4444) July 18, 2016

Some viewers congratulated Sonia Kruger for "speaking up" about what "many Australian's think".

It doesn't matter if u agree/disagree with @SoniaKruger comments, in Australia u are afforded the right to #freespeech. Opinion not racism! — christian o'keefe (@cjokeefe86) July 17, 2016

Thank you @SoniaKruger!!! Finally someone in media has guts to speak how many feel!!! Bless you.

— David De Vere (@LordDaveDeVere) July 17, 2016

Whether you agree with @SoniaKruger or not on border control, appreciate she is only looking out for Australian safety and that took guts! — Nic Ashman (@Nic_Ashman) July 17, 2016

Representatives for both Sonia Kruger andThe Today Showhave been approached for comment.

A spokesperson for the Nine Network said the comments reflected the variety of opinions expressed on the show.

"Nine's view is that we believe in freedom of speech and the Mixed Grill segment on the TODAY show is a place where that happens," the spokesperson said.

"Sonia, David and Lisa each expressed a variety of opinions on the show this morning."

This isn't the first time the TV host has been embroiled in racial controversy - in 2008, Channel 7 was forced to apologised after Kruger made distasteful comments towardsDancing With The Starsmusical director Chong Lim.

Referencing her outfits for the Melbourne Cup, Sonia joked, "Let's just say there's a sweatshop full of illegal immigrants working on them right now", before asking Chong how his family was.

Viewers were outraged and complained that her comments were in poor taste.

"In this instance, it's worth remembering that Sonia and Chong have been working together over eight series ofDancing With The Stars. They're very good friends and enjoy each other's company very much. However, to any viewer who took offence, without any reservation, we apologise," a Seven spokeswoman said after the controversy.

Sonia later spoke about her remarks, revealing she had "no intention" to be racist.