The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said President Trump hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric “is putting a target on the back of Muslim elected officials across our nation.”
During an event in the Oval Office, President Trump said, “We have jihadists being elected all over the place. We have this whether it’s communism, jihadism.”
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“All Americans have the right to engage in public service, regardless of their race or faith. By describing American Muslim public servants as threats to our nation, President Trump is putting a target on the back of Muslim elected officials across our nation.
“This type of dangerous rhetoric is fueling the surge in complaints of anti-Muslim bigotry that our civil rights organization has documented over the past three years, including a record high 8,683 complaints in 2025. Anti-Muslim hate is out of control in large part because of politicians who hate America’s diversity and cannot stand the sight of American Muslims engaging in the political process.
“President Trump’s remarks were meant to demean and diminish the many contributions of American Muslims in public life, but they only embolden American Muslims to keep engaging in public service and speaking up for justice here and abroad.”
Yesterday, CAIR said “America does not belong to any one race or religion” after President Trump posted an Islamophobic image online.
CAIR also commended U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for publicly condemning anti-Muslim remarks made by his Republican colleagues and for affirming that American Muslims must be judged as individuals, not stereotyped or collectively condemned because of the actions of others.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website | YouTube
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: [email protected], CC [email protected]
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]