Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is under fire after sharing an image of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa, a post widely condemned as Islamophobic. The image was posted shortly after New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani appeared to win the Democratic nomination in New York City’s mayoral race — positioning him to become the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected in November.
Greene captioned the image, “This hits hard,” prompting immediate backlash across the political spectrum. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) called the post “very racist” and “so outside the mainstream,” while others accused Greene of stoking fear and hate against Muslims.
The Georgia Republican, who has a history of making anti-Islam remarks, was asked to explain her post during an appearance on The Hill’s “Rising.” Co-host Niall Stanage noted the irony that the original concept for the Statue of Liberty was inspired by a Muslim woman and pressed Greene to clarify her intent.
Greene replied: “I’m an American woman and I have all the freedoms in the world to never have to bow to a religion that would force me to cover my body up and only see my eyes and fingertips. That is a major threat for all American women.”
When asked if her post was a direct response to Mamdani’s victory, Greene pivoted, saying: “Oh, a Muslim takeover or possibly Shariah law. That is a great threat to every single American woman, and I think that’s something all women should never want or allow to happen in America.”
Stanage pushed back, noting that New York voters are free to elect candidates of any faith. Before he could finish his question, Greene interrupted, stating: “Of course voters have the right to elect that, and I’ll maintain my right to say that I think Shariah law and women being forced to wear burqas is the greatest threat to our freedoms as American women.”
When directly asked whether she believes Muslims should be allowed to hold elected office in the United States, Greene dodged the question. Instead, she reiterated her position: “I am 100% opposed to Shariah law in America. 100% unapologetically opposed.”
Mamdani, who has been targeted with Islamophobic rhetoric since his primary win, has not yet commented on Greene’s post. His supporters say the attacks are not only bigoted but also a distraction from the issues New York voters care about.
Critics argue that Greene’s comments fuel anti-Muslim sentiment and are part of a pattern of xenophobic fear-mongering. Civil rights groups have called on congressional leaders to denounce her remarks.
