President Donald Trump‘s decision to nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state has alarmed America’s top Muslim advocacy organizations, whose leaders say Pompeo’s past statements about Muslims, and his ties to hate groups, indicate a serious bias against Islam.
After Trump tweeted Tuesday about his plans to replace current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Pompeo, several advocates pointed out that Pompeo has long had a “toxic relationship” with American Muslims ― so much so that in 2016, he won a top award from Act for America, an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center considers an anti-Muslim hate group.
Hoda Hawa, director of policy and advocacy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, called Pompeo a “divisive” figure whose confirmation would further erode American Muslims’ trust in their government.