'Islam Hates Us': Trump’s 2016 remarks resurface, go viral on social media

Trump’s 2016 interview resurfaces, claiming “Islam hates us,” sparking debate as the clip goes viral.

An old interview of U.S. President Donald Trump has resurfaced on social media, drawing renewed attention to his past comments on Islam. The interview, conducted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper in 2016, took place ahead of the U.S. presidential election that year.

In the video, Trump said, “I think Islam hates us,” while discussing the challenges of distinguishing between radical and mainstream Islam. He described “tremendous hatred” as a defining aspect of the religion and maintained that the U.S. was at war with radical Islam. However, he added, “It’s very hard to define. It’s very hard to separate. Because you don’t know who’s who.”

When pressed on whether this hatred was “in Islam itself,” Trump deflected, saying, “You’re gonna have to figure that out, OK?” He also emphasised the need for vigilance in immigration policies, asserting, “We can’t allow people coming into this country who have this hatred of the United States.”

Chad Donald Trump"I think ISLAM hates us. We cant have people coming into this country who HATE us." Seedhi baat, No Bakwaspic.twitter.com/16IYHWemnF Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) March 17, 2025