Trump backs staunchly anti-Muslim Florida lawmaker to run for US Congress

Florida State Senator Randy Fine, who celebrated Israel’s sidesplitting of a US citizen, gets president-elect’s support.

United States President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging a Florida legislator who celebrated nan sidesplitting of an American citizen by nan Israeli subject to tally for Congress.

Trump said successful a societal media station connected Sunday that if State Senator Randy Fine decides to activity a legislature spot successful Florida, nan authorities lawmaker would person his “Complete and Total Endorsement”.

Fine, who has a agelong history of anti-Muslim statements, sparked outrage earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile he appeared to praise nan sidesplitting of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a US activistic who was fatally changeable by nan Israeli subject successful nan occupied West Bank.

“Throw rocks, get shot. One little #MuslimTerror ist. #FireAway,” Fine wrote successful a societal media station successful September.

Eygi was taking portion successful a serene protestation erstwhile she was shot. Both Israel and nan outgoing management of US President Joe Biden person dismissed her sidesplitting arsenic an accident.

Fine’s station – which X (formerly Twitter) recovered to beryllium successful usurpation of its convulsive reside argumentation – is portion of a agelong database of inflammatory, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic comments by nan authorities legislator.

“Fine is simply a friend to nary 1 isolated from fascism,” Rasha Mubarak, a Palestinian-American activistic from Florida, told Al Jazeera.

“Trump’s endorsement signals a deepening alignment pinch nan violent, fascist elements wrong nan capitalist class, whose interests are served by sowing section and perpetuating nan power of imperialism.”

Fine often proclaims that nan US has a “Muslim problem”. In 2021, erstwhile told by a societal media personification that Palestinians were being forced retired of their homes by Israel, he responded with: “#BlowThemUp”.

According to nan Council connected American Islamic Relations (CAIR), he besides sent a backstage connection to a Florida resident saying: “​​Go rustle yourself up!”

Two years earlier, Fine referred to Jews who support Palestinian authorities arsenic “Judenrat” – Nazi collaborators.

Last year, Fine based on that fearfulness of Muslims is justified.

“While galore Muslims are not terrorists, they are nan radicals, not nan mainstream,” he wrote successful a station connected X. “Now is nan clip to speak truth, not bathe successful governmental correctness that will termination us.”

Fine’s agency did not instantly respond to Al Jazeera’s consequence for comment.

Over nan years, CAIR has called connected Florida lawmakers to censure and penalise Fine, including complete his caller comments connected Eygi’s killing.

“We struggle to deliberation of different clip successful modern American history erstwhile an elected charismatic openly celebrated nan execution of an American by a overseas authorities and encouraged much specified killing,” CAIR’s lawman executive director, Edward Ahmed Mitchell, said successful May.

“Randy Fine has made it clear wherever his priorities lie, and it is not pinch nan American people. We impulse nan Florida House of Representatives to censure him for this hateful, un-American rant.”

Despite celebrating nan sidesplitting of an American female by a overseas military, Trump described Fine arsenic an “America First Patriot”.

He called connected him to tally for nan spot of Congressman Mike Waltz, who will time off his spot to service successful nan White House arsenic nationalist information adviser.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will telephone for a typical predetermination to capable nan vacancy adjacent year.

Fine, who antecedently served successful Florida’s House of Representatives and was precocious elected to nan state’s Senate, has not announced his candidacy, but he welcomed Trump’s statement.

“It would beryllium nan grant of my life to beryllium 1 of your footsoldiers,” he wrote, addressing nan incoming president. “Your assurance is overwhelming and I will person news to stock soon!”

Trump himself has regularly dispersed anti-Muslim rhetoric, including saying that nan Quran, Islam’s beatified book, teaches a “very antagonistic vibe” and proclaiming that “Islam hates us”.

He besides imposed a travel ban connected respective Muslim-majority countries during his first word arsenic president.

But this year, nan erstwhile president softened his tone arsenic he courted Arab and Muslim voters, promising to bring “peace” to nan Middle East.

Trump’s endorsement of Fine arsenic good arsenic immoderate of his staunchly pro-Israel furniture picks highlights nan extent of his confederation pinch far-right forces.