Islamophobia Is Trump’s Closing Midterm Gambit
President Trump and his allies are ending the campaign with naked but nonsensical appeals to anti-Muslim bigotry.
This article discusses President Trump's use of Islamophobia as a strategy in the 2022 midterm elections. At a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, Trump made an explicit claim that a Muslim candidate for U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, was a terrorist. Trump argued that if El-Sayed and the Democrats were elected, they would open the floodgates for jihadists and terrorize the country.
However, there is no evidence to support these allegations. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood or any jihadist groups. Trump's remarks are part of a pattern of racist and Islamophobic rhetoric, targeting not only Rep. Ilhan Omar but also the Somali community in Minnesota. Trump has called Omar "garbage" and labeled Somalis as having a low IQ.
His comments have led to disillusionment among Muslim voters who supported Trump in 2020, who are now expressing anger and disappointment. Trump's Islamophobic rhetoric extends beyond El-Sayed, encompassing all Muslim voters in Michigan, and even Jewish Michiganders who might support El-Sayed. Trump has called for ostracizing any Jewish Michiganders who vote for El-Sayed, a statement that has drawn criticism and condemnation.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
