The obscure documentary fueling Islamophobia in Texas

A documentary titled The Great American Conflict, produced by a Texas-based group aiming to convert Iran to Christianity, claims to expose the true nature of Islam to the West. The film, which premiered at a Dallas County Republican Party gathering, warns of a significant threat posed by Islam in America. Despite its obscurity, the documentary has surprisingly influenced politics in Texas, with Islamophobic rhetoric and policy proposals being influential during the year's elections.

The film, released at the start of summer, showcases testimonials from evangelical Christians and former Muslims who converted to Christianity. These individuals present arguments against Islam, asserting that it is inherently violent, imperialistic, and incompatible with the American Constitution and Western liberalism. The documentary also alleges that Muslims are infiltrating American politics to replace Judeo-Christian values with Islamic ones.

This perspective is not new, as it draws from Islamophobia rooted in the post-9/11 era, and has become more mainstream in recent years.

The film's backers include activists from early-2000s and 2010s Islamophobia movements, such as Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America. In the current political climate, Islamophobia has become increasingly mainstream and is even institutionalized in some areas, like the Sharia-Free America Caucus in Congress and efforts in Texas to make eliminating "sharia" law an official stance of the Republican Party.

Politicians, content creators, and advocacy groups are using The Great American Conflict, along with edited social media clips and pseudo-documentaries, to spread this sentiment and target Muslim candidates and politicians. This trend aligns with the peak of antisemitism and Islamophobia during the 2026 midterm cycle, driven by demographic changes, increased Muslim visibility in politics, and more Republican politicians feeling comfortable using Islam as a scapegoat.