President Trump introduced the term "jihadists" into his attacks on Democratic opponents while signing an executive order, saying the label had been suggested to him by a friend. He did not name specific targets, though he has recently singled out progressive figures such as Abdul El-Sayed and Zohran Mamdani. Critics, including CNN commentators, say the language feeds harmful stereotypes and echoes earlier posts calling for travel bans on "terror-plagued" countries.
Trump Uses 'Jihadists' Slur in Escalating Attacks on Progressive Democrats
President Donald Trump has another insult for Democrats. / Kylie Cooper / REUTERS
President Donald Trump escalated his verbal attacks on Democratic rivals during a White House event on Monday, introducing the term "jihadists" into his arsenal of political epithets.
Zohran Mamdani met Donald Trump in the White House. / Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
While signing an executive order, Trump said,
"We have jihadists being elected all over the place. We have this whether it's communism, jihadism..."He added that a friend had suggested he use the word, but did not name any specific individuals when using the slur.
Donald Trump posts about Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. / Truth Social
In recent weeks the president has repeatedly warned about so-called communist influence in U.S. politics, and media outlets such as CNN have noted that his rhetoric appears to be growing more extreme. Critics say invoking "jihadists" to describe political opponents taps into xenophobic and Islamophobic stereotypes.
The president used El-Sayed's full name in his post. / @realDonaldTrump/ TruthSocial
Trump has targeted several progressive Democrats in recent weeks. He has called Zohran Mamdani, a progressive New York politician, a "pure, true communist," and has repeatedly attacked Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed on social media. After El-Sayed's primary victory, Trump posted an alarmist image on Truth Social with the caption, "They are coming for your home and your belongings," and later contrasted himself and Melania with El-Sayed and his wife in a post that read, "Two VERY DIFFERENT America's."
U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Democrat from Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib, Democrat from Michigan, shout as President Donald Trump at the State of the Union in February. / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images
Trump's comments also echo prior remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States as a refugee. The president has previously called for her to be "sent back to Somalia," language that critics say is both punitive and exclusionary.
On social media in 2023 and 2024 Trump promoted restoring travel restrictions on what he called "terror-plagued countries," writing that "if you sympathize with jihadists, then we don't want you in our country," and later urging that such bans kept "terrorists, jihadists and violent extremists" out of the United States.
Media commentators, including CNN's Anderson Cooper, criticized the use of the term as playing to "the worst stereotypes." Requests for comment were sent to the White House; outlets including The Daily Beast have noted the administration did not immediately respond.
Why It Matters
Language that links political opponents to violent extremism risks inflaming public fear and deepening divisions. Observers say elected leaders have a responsibility to avoid rhetoric that targets groups based on religion, nationality, or ethnicity.
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