Donald Trump has been leveling statements against Muslims since Adam. Calling them terrorists is one of his favorite pastimes. He has made it clear if he becomes U.S president, he will ban Muslims from entering the country. He says a lot of disgusting things about Muslims at his rallies. Rally participants seem to be waiting for an official approval to harm Muslims (as if things are not bad enough already). And he is not ashamed of what he said. Defending his call to stop Muslims from coming to America, he said “They are not coming to this country”. He says it is not about race or religion, it is about national security. With Muslims coming to the country, the country is out of control. Not only does he talk about banning Muslims from coming to the country, he goes as far as saying that the ones already in the country will have to leave. In his own words, “If Obama has let some Muslims into the country already, they are leaving”. He may be able to restrict the influx of Muslim immigrants to America but whether or not he has the authority to deport Muslims who immigrated to America legally is debatable.

The Orlando shooting that left 50 people dead was probably a crowning moment in Trump’s political career. The attacker who was shot dead in police operation identified as Omar Mateen, was a Muslim who was born and raised in America. In the wake of this incidence, it is not far-fetched to say that the event will have a huge impact U.S presidential race. Donald Trump, an advocate of banning Muslims in America, will win even more support from anti-Islam people.

It is not just the public, he may have managed to win a little support from other prominent figures as well. Hilary Clinton, for example, has thus far refrained from labelling Muslims as terrorists. But in the wake of recent event, she thinks that radical Islamism may be a problem for national security. In her own words “We can call it [the Orlando shooting] radical Islamism.”

Donald Trump may or may not motivated by a hatred of Muslims but he is certainly using fear of terrorism as a tool to win public support. This fear is not new. He is tapping into the preexisting racist tendencies of Americans. He is using preexisting prejudices against Muslims to win votes. He is tapping into the frustrations felt by the average American which have deepened after the Paris attack and Orlando shooting. His statements are so outrageous that they play to some of the worst fears of Americans. His policy positioning is clearly against Muslims: Closing down mosques, creating a national registry for Muslims, giving them ID based on religion, and prohibiting their movement into the country. By taking this political position, Donald Trump is clearly playing to the fears and insecurities of Americans that have surfaced after a series of attacks (Paris, San Bernadino, and now Orlando). He is tapping into the American fear that they might inadvertently be smuggling terrorists into the country. The Orlando attack has only strengthened his case. He asserts that allowing Muslims to enter the country poses a threat to the lives of Americans. Especially after Orlando attack, an increasing number of American citizens believe that their president’s duty is to protect them instead of housing immigrants who could be dangerous to national security. And this is the fear Trump is playing to. This is the card he is using to win more support.

Some Americans may hate him for his stance, but his political positioning will certainly appeal to the segment that has been defeated by the economy, sees no future, is scared of terrorism, and needs a savior. Muslims are an easy target for Trump to advance his political goals. Scape-goating them is bound to win him huge support. His popularity already soared after he announced the ban on Muslims. If anything, Orlando shooting has served to assure the public that his decision was right. Following the incident, his popularity among republicans will only rise.

Is Trump Islamophobic? No one knows. It is impossible to know what he really believes. His venomous rhetoric may be unfounded on any actual beliefs or principles. The whole anti-Islam fiasco could just be calculated political move. Attending Wharton School of Business early in his life, I am sure he met a lot of Muslims. He has been dealing with Muslims his entire adult life. So he may just be an opportunist at heart, playing to the fears and insecurities defenseless people, using fear as a tool to win elections. If we look at a poll, many Americans believe that Islam is incompatible with the American way of life. Since Donald Trump is a seasoned businessman and a professional politician, could he just be capitalizing on public opinion to advance his political career? Whether he is actually against Muslims or not, Orlando attacks have only proven him right in the eyes of public.

Whether Trump wins or loses, I personally feel leadership is not about attacking or insulting people. Whether it’s about national security or fear of terrorism, degrading a race or religion is certainly not the way forward. I am sure things can be worked out. There must be ways around this. Banning Muslims does not have to be the only solution. How about working on strengthening security measures instead? If Trump becomes U.S president and follows up on his promise, we are looking at a huge disaster. A disaster unprecedented in history. Trump will evoke the wrath of 1.6 million Muslims across the world. 1.6 million Muslims will start hating America. This could also lead to radicalization of Muslim youth in America who will become an easy target of organizations like ISIS looking to advance their agenda.

Following the proposal to ban Muslims, over 500,000 people in UK have already signed a petition to bar Donald Trump from America. My cousin who is only 13-year-old and a world history student says it the best “Trump wants another holocaust”. As you can see, it does not take more than a 13-year-old to see what’s about to happen is no different than what happened with Jews in Nazi Germany.