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Who the Hell is Advising Trump? White House Advisory Board Controversy.... On May 16, 2025, the White House announced new appointments to the Religious Liberty Commission Advisory Board. Among them were Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Ismail Royer - two Islamic figures with highly controversial backgrounds that raise serious security concerns. Who is advising Trump on these choices, and how did these individuals pass the vetting process? Ismail Royer: From Jihadist to Advisor? Ismail Royer, formerly Randall Royer, now serves as Director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team. Yet, his past reveals a disturbing history of Islamic radicalism. After converting to Islam in 1992, Royer became involved with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) - a designated terrorist group responsible for some of the most brutal jihadist attacks globally. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to aiding jihadist training and using firearms for terrorism, earning a 20-year sentence (served 13 years). LeT is notorious for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed over 160 people, including foreign nationals. The group has also collaborated with Al-Qaeda, particularly in the Kashmir region and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, India recently targeted LeT in Pakistan, helping protect us from these terrorists. But what is America thinking, appointing someone like Royer to an advisory role? Royer’s involvement wasn’t limited to just one group. He was a key figure in the Virginia Jihad Network, where he helped organize training and travel to LeT camps in Pakistan. Royer also had ties to Ali al-Timimi, convicted for urging followers to join the Taliban against U.S. troops. Before his imprisonment, Royer worked with terrorist-tied CAIR - Jihadis Nihad Awad and Ibrahim Hooper, Did you know that he attempted to travel to Kosovo and later Chechnya to join jihadist fighting but was stopped or changed plans each time. His associations with Islamic jihad and terrorist groups raise serious questions about how someone with this background is now advising the White House. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf: Another Questionable Choice Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College, is known as a leading Islamic scholar but has been linked to controversial figures and downplaying jihadist threats. His past statements and affiliations warrant scrutiny, especially in a role advising the White House. Yusuf has defended Jamil Al-Amin, convicted of murdering a sheriff's deputy, claiming he was framed, and argued that Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman (the “Blind Sheikh”), convicted for plotting to bomb New York landmarks, was unjustly tried. He called Judaism racist, implying non-Jews were “rubbish,” though he later apologized. Yusuf has also slammed American culture, accusing it of reveling in war and violence, and criticized The Greatest Generation as being guilty of war crimes, including Hiroshima and Dresden. He suggested that Abu Ghraib prison abuses reflected inherent violence in American society and implied that U.S. policies contributed to 9/11. He has questioned the fairness of major terror-related convictions and blamed U.S. foreign actions for fostering resentment that leads to extremist acts. What’s Going On? How did these problematic appointments happen? Who in the administration is responsible for allowing individuals with radical pasts to shape policy? Trump’s involvement in these decisions is unclear, but the vetting failure is evident. America is becoming more and more Islamized with the help of our government! @AmyMek