Somali American and Muslim community members in Minnesota are raising concerns about safety and Islamophobia after President Donald Trump posted a video showing children at a St. Paul kindergarten graduation ceremony, including several young girls wearing hijabs.
The 14-second clip, originally taken from a livestream of a graduation ceremony at Gateway STEM Academy, a public charter school in St. Paul, appeared on Trump's Truth Social account without a caption. While the president did not add commentary, Somali Minnesotans and Muslim advocacy organizations say the repost amplified online narratives targeting Minnesota's Somali and Muslim communities and has left families concerned about the safety of children and schools.
Community leaders say the incident comes amid what they describe as a broader increase in anti-Muslim and anti-Somali rhetoric online and nationally.
“I mean, it’s incredibly sad, disappointing that the president would target pretty much kindergartners and claim that somehow them being in their dress is somehow questionable when this is a nation built on the essence of a strong foundation of freedom of religion," said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-Minnesota.
Hussein said he believes the repost is part of a pattern of rhetoric directed at Somali Americans.
“It fits into line with what we have been seeing. This demonization and targeting of Somali Americans here in Minnesota and across the country,” Hussein said. “That has resulted in additional attacks, threats, intimidation, among other things, that has impacted this community.”
Hussein said his organization's immediate concern is the safety of students, staff and families connected to Gateway STEM Academy.
“We’ve been working to provide some support to the school,” he said. “Obviously, once a president makes a blatant targeting of a community and a school, the next thing is to worry about those actors who may act upon this behavior and potentially create threats to the school.”
MPR News contacted the school for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Hussein said CAIR-Minnesota has encouraged community members to report threats or incidents of discrimination to law enforcement and civil rights organizations.
“We’re encouraging people to report those,” Hussein said. "Safety is the number one priority.”
Malika Dahir, executive director of Reviving Sisterhood, a Minneapolis nonprofit focused on Muslim women's leadership and advocacy, said she was shocked when she saw the president's post.
“I immediately was horrified. It was a shock and horror,” Dahir said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the president would be putting images of children, kindergartners, on display like that, putting them in danger to Islamophobes.”
Dahir said what had been intended as a joyful community celebration quickly became a source of anxiety for families.
“We livestream so that family and friends in different cities and other states can join in these celebrations,” she said. “To turn a moment of joy and celebration into something that spreads hate and fear is just abhorrent.”
According to Dahir, parents have expressed concern after the school's name became widely shared online.
She added that the incident underscores the need for communities to take digital security seriously while continuing to reject hate.
Despite their concerns, both Hussein and Dahir said they hope the children at the center of the controversy know they are supported.
“I think they should recognize that this is their country,” Hussein said. “Some of them may aspire to be the president of the United States someday in the future. That’s who we are as Americans.”
