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(The Conversation) — At a campaign rally , in Port Huron, Michigan, on Oct. 25, 2026, President Donald Trump accused U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of being a “jihadist” who wants to impose Sharia law – Islamic law – in the United States. His comments reflect a broader pattern among Republican politicians of portraying Sharia as a threat to the American legal system.

In March 2026, Texas legislators launched the Sharia Free Texas Caucus, a group dedicated to preventing what its members describe as the spread of Islamic law in Texas. Its founder, state Rep. Brent Money, has characterized Sharia as “an entire civilizational legal structure” that threatens American law and institutions. That same month, nearly 95% of Texas Republican primary voters backed a nonbinding proposition declaring that “ Texas should prohibit Sharia Law .” The movement extends beyond Texas.…