Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., posted on social media Monday that "Muslims don't belong in American society," prompting swift condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and calls for accountability from civil rights groups.
The post, which also declared "Pluralism is a lie," drew widespread backlash largely from Democrats. Ogles has a history of making controversial statements about Muslims, including last year calling for the deportation of Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim naturalized U.S. citizen who won the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York.
What the Right Is Saying
One prominent Republican who criticized Ogles' post was Richard Grenell, a special envoy for President Donald Trump and the interim president of the Kennedy Center. "Stop attacking the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," Grenell wrote on social media.
Ogles did not back down from his initial statements. He posted on social media about "the high-ranking Democrats flooding X to condemn me" and in another post referenced the dozens of "Islamic countries in the world."
"If muslims want to practice their law and exemplify Muhammadan culture, that is where they belong," Ogles wrote.
The office of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ogles' post. A representative for Ogles did not respond to a request for comment.
What the Left Is Saying
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Ogles a "malignant clown" on social media. "Disgusting Islamophobes like you do not belong in Congress or in civilized society," Jeffries wrote.
Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., the House minority whip, posted: "This disgusting s--- doesn't belong in American society. And Republicans who support it don't belong in Congress."
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., responded: "I don't know how many Muslims are in this guy's district. I know there are tens of thousands in mine. They are parents. Entrepreneurs. Police officers. The firefighter-paramedic giving CPR to save your life. They are us. They are American. This tweet is NOT American."
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement: "The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom to everyone in our nation, including American Muslims. If any member of Congress had declared that 'Jews do not belong in America,' that politician would rightfully face condemnation and censure."
Mitchell added: "Yet like Randy Fine and other anti-Muslim extremists in Congress, Mr. Ogles has faced no consequences for his dangerous rhetoric, even as American Muslim elected officials experience censure motions, threats and harassment for daring to criticize Israel's genocide in Gaza. The double standards and hypocrisy must end."
What the Numbers Show
The Pew Research Center has estimated there are 3.5 million Muslims in the United States, representing about 1% of the country's overall population.
The controversy arose amid heightened scrutiny of political rhetoric following an attempted terrorist attack in New York City, where federal prosecutors said the two suspects are aligned with ISIS.
Another Republican congressman with a history of controversial statements about Muslims, Rep. Randy Fine of Florida, posted about the incident over the weekend saying "Deport them ALL." Fine faced calls to resign from Democrats last month after posting on social media, "If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one."
The Bottom Line
The statements from Ogles and Fine have intensified debate over rhetoric toward Muslim Americans in Congress. While Democratic leaders have called for consequences, no formal censure motion or disciplinary action has been announced against either congressman. The office of House Speaker Johnson has not indicated any planned response. Civil rights groups like CAIR have pointed to what they describe as a double standard in how anti-Muslim rhetoric is treated compared to criticism of other religious groups. The controversy comes as American Muslim elected officials report increased threats and harassment, according to advocacy groups.