Trump loyalist attacks Minnesota state senator's Muslim identity; politicians unite in defense

Deena Winter, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jul 15, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk launched an Islamophobic verbal attack on Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh on Monday, prompting Mayor Jacob Frey and other local politicians to jump to Fateh’s defense.

Kirk, founder of the youth-oriented, pro-Trump Turning Point USA, has long been accused of antisemitism, but recently began blasting Muslim candidates like Fateh and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral Democratic primary last month. Both Fateh and Mamdani are democratic socialists and state lawmakers.

Kirk recently portrayed Mamdani and Fateh as part of a Muslim plot to take over the government, posting on social media Monday that “Muslims are commanded to take over the government in the land they live. The attempted Islamic takeover of America is made possible thanks to mass migration.”

Kirk continued his attack Tuesday, tweeting a video of Fateh referring to Somalia as “our home” and commenting that “Mass migration from the third world must be stopped. We are committing suicide.” Fateh is of Somali descent but was born in America.

Other right-wing commenters jumped on Kirk’s bandwagon, painting Fateh as a threat to America.

Fateh is Muslim and Frey is Jewish. They’re both running to be Minneapolis mayor in November, and both decried Kirk’s remarks.

Fateh responded on social media, saying, “Minneapolis is a beautifully diverse city that stands firm in our progressive values. The hate I’ve seen today – and most days – is not who we will ever be."

Frey also responded on social media, writing that Fateh is “a proud American who is running because, like me, he loves Minneapolis.”

“I’m proud that Minneapolis is a place where he can run for mayor against me on his own merits — and that this kind of bigotry is widely rejected across our great city," Frey wrote.

Other Minnesota politicians jumped to Fateh’s defense. Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez tweeted that Fateh has been the victim of verbal abuse, racism and Islamophobia, and “The constant attacks are abhorrent and must be condemned.”

The Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America tweeted that Kirk’s comments were “disgusting, bigoted fearmongering.”

“But it’s also a sign that the billionaire class and their paid mouthpieces like Charlie Kirk are terrified to see elected leaders like (Fateh) and (Mandani) offering real solutions for working Americans.”

The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning “anti-Muslim, racist hate” targeting Fateh.

“The racist, anti-Muslim attacks against state Senator Omar Fateh, an American citizen born in our nation, are not only bigoted — they are factually wrong and dangerously inflammatory,“ CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said. ”These kinds of anti-Muslim smears have no place in our political discourse, especially at a time when elected officials and their families are being targeted with violence.”

Hussein noted that CAIR’s New York chapter condemned Islamophobic death threats against Mamdani. CAIR works to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, and empower American Muslims.

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