June 22, 2018
After declining to do so last year, President Trump has now hosted his first iftar dinner to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan.
During the dinner, Trump extolled the virtues of Ramadan, despite his many public comments as a candidate and president demeaning Muslims.
“Tonight, as we enjoy a magnificent dinner at the White House, let us strive to embody the grace and goodwill that mark the Ramadan season,” Trump told attendees June 6.
“Let us pray for peace and justice and let us resolve that these values will guide us as we work together to build a bright and prosperous future that does honor and glory to God,” he continued.
Arab comedian Dean Obeid-allah was dismissive: “Knowing Trump, he’ll probably serve pork chops wrapped in bacon covered on whiskey butter sauce.”
Trump gave no hint as to why he had decided to re-start the White House practice of hosting an iftar, which was begin by President Bill Clinton late in the 1990s.
Trump referred to the dinner as “a sacred tradition of one of the world’s great religions,” setting a tone the exact opposite of what he says at rallies around the country, where he has said he wants to block all Muslims from ever entering the United States.
He said nothing about Iran or any other individual country.
Only about 50 guests attended the dinner, with most appearing to be from embassies of majority-Muslim countries. Some of the largest Muslim organizations in the US said they were not invited to the dinner, although they had been in the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations.
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told reporters they were not invited.
Colin Christopher of ISNA told HuffPost, “If the White House is interested in inviting foreign government leaders from largely corrupt, Muslim-majority countries that exhibit inequitable and unjust policies upon their own populations, that seems to be in line with the tenor of the current US Administration.” Diplomats from such countries were also invited under Bush and Obama, who held much larger events.
While on the campaign trail, Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the country to combat terrorist attacks and told CNN, Islam hates us.”
Some said the huge difference between what Trump says at rallies and what he said at the iftar shows Trump just says whatever he thinks will appeal to an audience and doesn’t represent his actual thoughts.
In Tehran, President Rohani held an iftar for national celebrities May 30. News accounts said a number of actors, actresses and musicians boycotted the event over what they said on social media were Rohani’s inadequate responses to social and economic issues.