Underestimating white nationalist violence?
The White House has also been accused of underestimating the threat posed by white nationalists and other right-wing extremists.
Asked Friday whether white nationalism was a growing threat, Trump replied "not really," and suggested that such groups are small in number.
Comments like that are problematic for analysts such as Daniel Byman of the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, who said in an online post that the U.S. and other Western governments should begin to prioritize white nationalist and other forms of right-wing terrorism.
"The Trump administration has cut programs focusing on right-wing groups even amid a growing threat," Byman said. "Given the recent decline in jihadi violence in the United States, transferring some resources [to deal with white nationalist violence] is appropriate."
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Trump has instead preferred to point out the threat caused by "radical Islamic terrorism" — a phrase he makes a point of repeating. That has pleased many conservatives, including Trump's Republican allies in Congress, who accused former President Barack Obama of not doing enough to prevent acts by Muslim extremists.
That political climate is helping to create a scary moment for many American Muslims. But Amanullah said he wouldn't be scared away from attending Friday prayers.
"I have a great deal of faith in my fellow Americans," he said. "The one thing that's super important to people is setting aside a few minutes on Fridays to push the world away. And we can't have that stolen from us." (VOA)
