Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X on August 7, 2026, that “every single Muslim holding public office in America is a trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,” adding, “We refuse to be silent.”
The post came in response to Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim-American candidate, winning his Democratic primary for a Michigan Senate seat the previous week. Mace went on to name New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani among the officials she considers threats because of their faith.
Mace appeared on CNN Newsroom two days later, where anchor Omar Jimenez pressed her on the posts. When Jimenez asked whether she was saying any Muslim official is a threat to the country, Mace answered, “Uhh, and that’s not what I said.” Jimenez countered, “Congresswoman, there’s no indication that Mayor Mamdani has brought any of those ideals to New York City governance,” adding, “Or that just being Muslim brings those in.” Mace maintained her position through the remainder of the interview, and Jimenez closed by noting that the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion and that Article VI of the Constitution bars religious tests for holding public office.
The remarks drew swift condemnation from Democrats and civil rights advocates, who called them a blanket accusation against an entire religious group rather than any specific policy concern. Mace has not retracted the statement, and in further posts that weekend said she wanted “Islam… removed from civil society in the US.” More than 65 House Republicans have separately joined what has been described as a “Sharia-Free America” caucus, part of a broader wave of rhetoric targeting Muslim-American officeholders this election cycle.
