Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R) is under fire after sharing a social media post that juxtaposed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of the city, sitting cross-legged among a group of people, with images of the Twin Towers burning on Sept. 11, 2001.
Tuberville captioned the post, “The enemy is inside the gates,” sparking debate over whether he was broadly targeting Muslims or specifically criticizing radical elements.
The controversy gained additional attention after Politico published an article titled “Sen. Tommy Tuberville shares social media post suggesting Muslims are ‘the enemy.'”
Tuberville posted a series of messages on Thursday emphasizing his critique.
“Calling Radical Islam out for being a CULT doesn’t make you an ‘Islamophobe,’” he wrote. “Radical Islamists chant ‘death to America’ and would love to see every Christian and Jew murdered. Under Sharia Law, women are sold, raped, and trafficked. Radical Islam is NOT compatible with the Constitution and has NO PLACE IN AMERICA. I won’t be silenced about this.”
A spokesperson for Tuberville referred Politico to this post, noting that his criticisms are aimed at extremist ideologies, not the broader Muslim community.
Meanwhile, Mamdani responded on X, writing, “Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.”
In a personal response to the Politico article and the criticism it generated, Tuberville later retweeted the outlet’s article and clarified his position.
“To be clear, I didn’t ‘suggest’ Islamists are the enemy. I said it plainly,” he wrote.
Tuberville’s posts follow a pattern of similar statements by sitting GOP lawmakers.
Earlier this week, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) faced criticism for saying, “Muslims don’t belong in America,” while Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) previously stated he’d choose dogs over Muslims if faced with the decision.
Republican leadership has not publicly condemned these posts, though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) swiftly denounced Tuberville’s post as “Islamophobic hate,” calling it “mindless hate.”
“Muslim Americans are cops, doctors, nurses, teachers, bankers, bricklayers, mothers, fathers, neighbors, mayors, and more,” he wrote. “Islamophobic hate like this is fundamentally un-American and we must confront and overcome it whenever it rears its ugly head.”
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) also condemned Tuberville, tweeting, “This type of Islamophobia is disgraceful and unbecoming of a senator. Delete it immediately and apologize.”
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) added, “Senator Tuberville’s post on Mayor Mamdani is nothing less than blatant Islamophobic racism. Not only should Tuberville apologize, but the Republican leadership should strongly condemn this kind of ugly behavior. We must fight racism of all kinds, not condone it.”
Tuberville, however, remained defiant in another post, adding, “I don’t give a rip about being politically correct. Innocent Americans are being gunned down in the streets almost daily by Radical Islamists whose ‘religion’ teaches them it’s righteous to kill Christians. I won’t be silenced about this.”
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the threat of radical ideologies and the need for vigilance in protecting American values.
While some critics frame Tuberville’s statements as Islamophobic, supporters argue that calling out radical Islam and highlighting elements of Sharia law that conflict with U.S. constitutional principles is a matter of national security.
The debate over Tuberville’s posts reflects a broader conversation about safeguarding the country from extremist ideologies while maintaining freedom of speech and the ability of elected officials to warn Americans about genuine threats.
