The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has strongly condemned statements made by Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X (formerly Twitter), in which he described Islamic organizations as “terrorist groups.” CAIR denounced these comments as incendiary, fueling hatred and Islamophobia.
CAIR Responds: “Ignorance and Hatred”
The council emphasized that American Islamic and Arab organizations—like all others—have the right to apply for federal grants. It further noted that most of the organizations mentioned in Musk’s shared data also received U.S. government grants during Trump’s presidency.
“When Will Musk Address U.S. Funding of Israeli War Crimes?”
The organization condemned the Israeli occupation’s atrocities, highlighting that from October 7, 2023, to January 19, 2025, with direct U.S. support, Israel committed genocide in Gaza, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of over 160,000 Palestinians—most of them children and women—along with over 14,000 missing persons.
“Musk’s Remarks are Reckless and Dangerous”
Not the First Time: Musk’s History of Anti-Islam Rhetoric
This is not the first time Musk has attacked Islam. On December 28, 2022, the billionaire posted a symbolic image on X containing various ideological symbols that, according to the image’s message, aimed to “brainwash society.”
The image included:
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- The rainbow flag (representing LGBTQ+ movements),
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- The red star (symbolizing communism),
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- The crescent moon, which Musk used as a symbol of Islam.
Following the controversial tweet, CAIR swiftly responded, rejecting Musk’s implications and labeling them Islamophobic.
CAIR: The Largest Islamic Rights Organization in the U.S.
Founded in 1994, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is the largest civil rights organization for Muslims in the United States, operating through 31 offices and regional branches.
