A Remarkable Shift in the New American Right’s Attitude Towards Islam and Its Values
A Remarkable Shift in the New American Right’s Attitude Towards Islam and Its Values
A notable transformation is occurring within a segment of the new American right, particularly among those active on digital platforms, in their perspective towards Islam. Some of its influencers have shifted from anti-Muslim rhetoric to praising what they perceive in Islamic societies as a strong adherence to religion, family, discipline, identity, and moral values.
In an article published by the British magazine “New Statesman,” writer Travis Alexander discusses this shift, noting that Islam, once portrayed in certain aspects of American conservative discourse as a threat to Western civilization, is now regarded by some new right figures as a model for a society that maintains a clear system of values in response to what they see as moral and social decline in the West.
The article reviewed the positions of American media personality Tucker Carlson, who acknowledged that his previous stance towards Islam and Muslims was excessive. Carlson has reevaluated his earlier belief that Islam posed a general problem or threat and criticized rhetoric against American Muslims during the “America First” conference in 2025.
According to Alexander, Carlson’s transformation goes beyond retracting some of his former views; it extends to speaking positively about aspects of Islamic societies, particularly their clarity in values and ethical standards. He has also shown growing interest in the Gulf states and the societies of the region.
The article also mentions influencer Andrew Tate, who announced his conversion to Islam. He views Muslims’ commitment to their religion as evidence of strong belief and clear principles, criticizing, in contrast, what he considers the increasing acceptance of moral relativism and the abandonment of fixed boundaries and values in Western societies.
The writer further discusses other young influencers for whom Islam has become a theme in their digital content, whether through visits to mosques, sharing Quranic recitations, or discussing discipline, self-improvement, and adherence to religious values.
Alexander argues that this phenomenon does not signify a wholesale conversion of the new American right towards Islam. Instead, it reflects an intellectual crisis within some of its circles, amidst a growing belief that Western societies have lost aspects of their identity, meaning, and discipline while, in their view, Islamic societies have maintained a greater degree of religious, familial, and social cohesion.
At the same time, the writer notes that the admiration some of these influencers have for Islam remains selective, often focusing on concepts of strength, discipline, authority, and social roles, without a comprehensive understanding of the spiritual, ethical, and doctrinal dimensions upon which Islam is based.
This shift reveals a paradox in American political and cultural discourse; after decades when Islam was a primary target of fear-mongering narratives from elements of the right, some figures from its new generation are now invoking Islamic values in their criticism of Western societal conditions, seeking alternative models based on identity, discipline, family, and adherence to a fixed value system.
