Donald Trump’s Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Shows Up In Al Qaeda Recruitment Video

The anti-Muslim rhetoric Donald Trump has been using on the campaign trail has shown up in a recruitment video for an al Qaeda off-shoot group.

donald-trump-microphone

Donald Trump is the latest star of a recruitment video put out be an al Qaeda off-shoot:

An al Qaeda affiliate has apparently released a new recruitment video, telling Muslims in America that the country has a long history of racism and discrimination and will turn on its Muslim community.

The video purportedly by Somali terrorist group al-Shabaabuses historic civil rights era footage of firebrand Malcolm X and audio of 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump to label the United States a racist society.

In the wake of the San Bernandino shootings last month, Trump said he wanted “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”

The video runs this line, bleeping out the word “hell.”

Before that, Trump had called for surveillance of mosques and said he was open to establishing a database for all Muslims living in the country.

The video also includes recent footage of police shootings and violence against African Americans in Ferguson andBaltimore — and claims that this is what is in store for American Muslims.

CNN cannot independently confirm the authenticity of the video. Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

Throughout the video, excerpts of previous video messages from the late radical cleric Anwar al Awlaki are played predicting persecution of Muslims in the United States.

Al-Awlaki was U.S. born and raised and revered as a powerful motivator in terrorist operations for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

He was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2011, in Yemen.

On some level, of course, it’s not surprising that Trump’s words would end up in a recruitment video by one of these groups. Even before he went the extra mile of proposing to ban the entry of all Muslims into the United States for some indeterminate period, Trump’s language regarding Muslims was playing right into the stereotypes that the jihadists like to use when talking about the United States and the way we treat Muslims. He had proposed a national database of all Muslims in the country so that law enforcement could track them, proposed the idea that mosques should be shut down for allowing the spread of “radical” ideas, constantly repeated debunked claims that “thousands” of Muslim Americans were celebrating the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, openly talked about targeting the family members of suspected terror leaders even if they weren’t involved in terrorism themselves, and said that the United States should seize the oil wells being used by ISIS to finance its operations and use the oil for its own purposes. All of this plays right into the kind of image that groups like al Qaeda and ISIS want the Arab world to see of the United States, of course, and Trump is providing them with more than enough material.

This video comes several weeks after Hillary Clinton claimed in the last Democratic debate that Trump’s words were being used in ISIS recruitment videos. This claim was immediately disputed by many in the media, though, and fact checkers were unable to find any evidence of an ISIS video featuring Trump that had been released at any time prior to the debate. To some level, I suppose, this video would arguably vindicate Clinton’s claim, as well as the arguments of others that the rhetoric Trump was using played right into the hands of terrorist groups. That political argument seems largely irrelevant, though, since it should have been obvious from the start that Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric would end up having some kind of impact outside the United States. The question Republicans will have to ask is whether they want to adopt it for their own.

FILED UNDER: 2016 Election, National Security, Terrorism, US Politics, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Pch101 says:

    American nativists and jihadists have a lot in common: Both groups like to feel like martyrs who are under threat by The Other, and use their fears to justify jingoism and violence for the home team. Aside from the particular offshoot of Abrahamic monotheism that they use for their respective soundtracks, they are more similar than they are different.

  2. edmondo says:

    To some level, I suppose, this video would arguably vindicate Clinton’s claim…

    Or maybe they got the idea from her? Is anyone sure that she isn’t an ISIS operative?

  3. Gustopher says:

    Why does Hillary Clinton have early access to ISIS videos? We know that she used to work for a Kenyan Muslim who proudly mentioned the 57 states of Islamic America, and then there’s here role in BENGHAZI!!!, where a lot of questions still remain.

  4. ltmcdies says:

    @edmondo: I guess if Donald can be a Clinton plant disrupting the GOP nominating process

    ….then sure …Hilary is an ISIS operative, why not.

    tinfoil is going to be at premium this election cycle, isn’t it.

  5. Gustopher says:

    ISIS seeks to portray America at its worst in its recruitment videos, and Donald Trump appeals to the worst in Americans, so I don’t see why anyone would be surprised. They seem like a perfect match.

  6. JKB says:

    One has to wonder why the Islamic Jihadists are working to help Hillary’s campaign.

    And as this involves Democrats, we should also wonder which and how many Democratic Party operatives assisted in the production of the recruitment video.

  7. Tony W says:

    @JKB: I think you’re red jersey is a little too tight. If it’s helpful Barron’s this morning had a nice rundown of Trump’s major lies to date.

  8. Matt says:

    @JKB: I cannot even imagine the fever swamps that you inhabit.

    How does releasing a video showing this country’s history of discrimination and racism help Hillary? Trump appeared for only a short moment as an example of the intolerance that exists today.

  9. Guarneri says:

    “….Trump’s language regarding Muslims was playing right into the stereotypes that the jihadists like to use when talking about the United States and the way we treat Muslims. ”

    It’s a shock to see those devout, peace loving, faithful practitioners of Islam so readily transformed into raping, murderous savages by dastardly and powerful words. It’s a wonder, what with chants of death to America standard fare for years, we haven’t turned the entire place into glass. And the Israelis and calls for their annihilation……dudes must be on Valium. Maybe they pump it into the water.

  10. Smooth Jazz says:

    “To some level, I suppose, this video would arguably vindicate Clinton’s claim, as well as the arguments of others that the rhetoric Trump was using played right into the hands of terrorist groups. That political argument seems largely irrelevant, though, since it should have been obvious from the start that Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric would end up having some kind of impact outside the United States. The question Republicans will have to ask is whether they want to adopt it for their own.”

    Trump is a self absorbed buffoon that should not get anywhere close to the White House….But only far left loon types from Daily KOS, Democratic Underground, Think Progress, et al can claim, without tongue firmly planted in cheek, that this video vindicates Clinton’s claim. If anything, Clinton gave these guys the idea and they are gleefully endorsing her in the Presidential race because they are scared of that nut job Trump and the other Reps.

  11. Slugger says:

    Eh, so what….
    It is an infomercial from ISIS. There is no reason to think that it is any more factual or informative than any other infomercial. I doubt that they were appealing to people to use their critical reasoning powers to develop a commitment to fight the West.
    I don’t like Trump, but having ISIS dislike him does not worsen my opinion of him.

  12. Mike says:

    Trump – what an awful human being. Just had to get that off my chest.

  13. Surreal American says:

    @JKB:

    And as this involves Democrats, we should also wonder which and how many Democratic Party operatives assisted in the production of the recruitment video.

    Pharmacy closed yesterday due to the holiday? Couldn’t get your meds refilled?

  14. stonetools says:

    All Hail, Hillary the prophet !

    Or maybe she is not so prophetic, but just a thinking person who is grounded in current reality and who can see a little beyond her nose -which is apparently beyond the capabilities of the conservative (and some liberal) pundits who excoriated Clinton for “lying about Trump.”
    Meanwhile, the fact checkers who were all about catching Clinton in a lie seem pretty shortsighted right now. Guess they’ll be updating their Pinnochios or whatever. And, this guy must be laughing his a$$ off :

    A spokesman for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton on Monday refused to offer an apology to GOP rival Donald Trump for claiming the outspoken billionaire has been used in terror recruitment videos.

    “Hell no,” Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon told The Wall Street Journal.
    “Hillary Clinton will not be apologizing to Donald Trump for correctly pointing out how his hateful rhetoric only helps ISIS recruit more terrorists,” Fallon added.

    The schadenfreude and sense of vindication must be delicious.

  15. stonetools says:

    @JKB:

    One has to wonder why the Islamic Jihadists are working to help Hillary’s campaign.

    @edmondo:

    Or maybe they got the idea from her? Is anyone sure that she isn’t an ISIS operative?

    Edmondo’s conceit is that he is a disaffected liberal. Yet here he is mirroring the wacko conspiracy theory of one of our right wing nut job posters. Says it all , really. Maybe one of the two is a sock puppet?

  16. CSK says:

    The typical Trump fan must have the attention span of a flea with ADHD. Since September 2015, Trump has alternated between saying how much he loves “the Muslims” and how much he hates “the Muslims.”

    Speaking of which, what is this weird affection Trump has for the definite article when its use isn’t necessary?

  17. anjin-san says:

    @Guarneri:

    Well of course the penalty for chanting “death to America” should be genocide by way of nuclear weapons. Of course…

  18. anjin-san says:

    @Slugger:

    Why do you think ISIS dislikes Trump? He’s a walking, talking propaganda machine for them…

  19. C. Clavin says:

    A short time ago when it was argued that the radical and extreme rhetoric of Republicans was playing into the hands of ISIS…the trolls above, and M. Reynolds yelled that we were wrong and were supporting radicals in the Middle East.
    Now that we have been proven right…it’s a Democratic conspiracy.
    What a bunch of cowards you trolls are.
    WTF happened to accountibility in the Republican party?

  20. C. Clavin says:

    Imagine for a minute that Bernie Sanders showed up in ISIS recruiting propaganda.
    You Republicans would be absolutely apoplectic.
    Now you’re making pu$$y excuses for your 3rd rate leaders.
    Losers.

  21. Mike says:

    @C. Clavin: The Republican party is in severe need of revision if it wants to continue to win elections now that discriminating against gays is no longer viable and Roe v. Wade isn’t going to be overturned anytime soon.

    The Tea Party has a grip on the party that will only cost it votes anywhere outside the south. To keep the Teahadists happy, the party has to upset so many.

    The repub party used to try to sell the idea that it was all about small government, big defense, and low taxes until we saw when a repub was last elected – old W – tax cuts while sending Gov’t costs through the roof with endless and needless occupations. That prescription drug plan was a doozy of a gov’t expansion. All the while, cutting taxes and making someone else pay for it.

    People simply don’t trust the party with national defense or the checkbook.

  22. Bob@Youngstown says:

    @edmondo: just as we are not sure of your operational status.

    Trump’s remarks were bound to be used to convince the world that the leading republican candidate for the supreme leadership of the United States espouses radical anti-muslim action. Given that a polling shows that a majority (appear to) support him and his causes makes it easy to convince the world that his position is charastic of the whole of the US.

  23. JKB says:

    @Surreal American:

    Well, the KGB archives revealed that Democrat Teddy Kennedy offered his help to the Soviet Union if they would help defeat Reagan

    Democrat Barack Obama was caught on open-mic sending a message to Putin about being “flexible” in assisting in Putin’s goals after the election.

    Democrat Jane Fonda traveled to North Vietnam to do PR for the Communists while we had troops in the field and North Vietnam held Americans as prisoners of war.

    Democrat John Kerry gave testimony before Congress where he lied about actions of troops in the field while combat operations were still going on.

    It is not much of a leap to believe if investigated, Democrats will be found to be giving aid to the enemy.

  24. miguel cervantes says:
  25. C. Clavin says:

    @JKB:
    If you have to make up nonsense to support your opinion…your opinion is nonsense.

  26. miguel cervantes says:

    maybe this notion was at fault as well,

    https://twitter.com/pspoole/status/683346417344188416

    awlaki was the one who has encouraged martyrs from Birmingham to San Bernardino

  27. An Interested Party says:

    It is not much of a leap to believe if investigated, Democrats will be found to be giving aid to the enemy.

    Meanwhile, Nixon secretly worked to prolong the Vietnam War to help himself politically, the Reagan Administration sold arms to Iran, and Republicans in Congress sent a letter to Iran to support their Likud pals in Israel at the expense of the Amerivan president, so if we want to talk about giving aid to the enemy, perhaps you should take a closer look at your fellow travelers…

  28. miguel cervantes says:
  29. bill says:

    awesome, so they’ll hate us even more? like that was possible already……pacifists !

  30. humanoid.panda says:

    @JKB: Projection. It’s always projection with these people.

  31. humanoid.panda says:

    @miguel cervantes: The problem with this “memorandum” is that no researcher had ever seen its original..

  32. C. Clavin says:

    This is what the Republican Party is today…a bunch of nonsense spouting terrorists
    http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8906232

  33. al-Ameda says:

    All I can say about this is, sooner or later the dog excrement was bound to stick to his Ferragamos – Trump is getting what he deserves.

  34. C. Clavin says:

    More detail on the Republican terrorists in Oregon…which of course makes them look even dumber. 2nd amendment remedies…wonder where they get these ideas????
    http://www.vox.com/2016/1/3/10703712/oregon-militia-standoff

  35. al-Ameda says:

    @Smooth Jazz:

    but only far left loon types from Daily KOS, Democratic Underground, Think Progress, et al can claim, without tongue firmly planted in cheek, that this video vindicates Clinton’s claim. If anything, Clinton gave these guys the idea and they are gleefully endorsing her in the Presidential race because they are scared of that nut job Trump and the other Reps.

    You’re kidding, right?
    Trump … the Democratic Party could not ask for more.

  36. C. Clavin says:

    @Smooth Jazz:
    The issue here is not ISIS or Clinton…but the buffoons running for the Republican nomination…and their complete lack of intelligence and/or judgement…and their total reliance on xenophobia to stoke fear and anger in their base constituency.

  37. anjin-san says:

    @JKB:

    Obama is the secret love child of Khrushchev and Nina Simone. It’s true.

  38. Grewgills says:

    I jokingly asked a friend yesterday when I heard about the video how long it would take for people on the right to blame Clinton. She said, “No one could be that stupid.” Mencken has been proved right again.