Summary:
Micah Beckwith, Indiana’s lieutenant governor, has made a series of public anti-Islam statements.
May 2026: Beckwith said, “I hate Islam. It’s a demonic death cult,” during an appearance on the Christian program FlashPoint. He also said people needed “permission to hate again.”
After Indianapolis Jewish community leaders joined an interfaith statement condemning his remarks, Beckwith criticized them and argued that they were wrong to oppose his criticism of Islamic teachings.
June 2026: Beckwith continued defending his comments despite criticism from Indiana Muslim organizations. The Islamic Society of Evansville publicly objected to his characterization of Islam and invited him to engage with Indiana's Muslim community.
September 2026: On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Beckwith posted that Americans should “never forget what Islam wants to do to the American way of life” and criticized Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott for defending religious freedom for Muslims.