CAIR slams Musk for labelling US Muslim groups as 'terrorist organisations'

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has denounced Billionaire Elon Musk's post labelling US Muslim groups that receive USAID as "terrorist organisations", saying it fuels Islamophobia and endangers Muslim Americans.

Musk retweeted a post on Sunday that depicted American Muslim aid groups as "terrorist organisations."

"As many people have said, why pay terrorist organisations and certain countries to hate us when they’re perfectly willing to do it for free?" Musk said in his quoted retweet.

The post mentioned over a dozen US Muslim groups, including the Arab American Institute, Islamic Relief Agency, Muslim Aid, and Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

In its response, CAIR said those groups are "duly registered nonprofit organisations that have the same right to apply for federal funding as every other eligible charity", adding that many of them partnered with Trump's first administration.

"Anyone who sees the word 'Islam' in the name of an American charity and then immediately declares that the charity must be a 'terrorist organisation' is a hateful person who must know next to nothing about American Muslims and their contributions to our society, including humanitarian work," CAIR said.

'Reckless and dangerous' labelling

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad replied to Musk in his retweet thread, saying his remarks are "reckless and dangerous."

"This kind of rhetoric fuels Islamophobia, endangers innocent lives, and undermines the values of justice and equality. Do better," Awad told Musk.

CAIR also called on Musk to stop defaming Americans and start calling out taxpayer money Israel uses to "slaughter tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza."

Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is tasked with shutting down USAID operations.

On Sunday, the Trump administration said it is firing 2,000 USAID workers and putting thousands of others globally on leave.