Harmeet Dhillon Sikh prayer

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Right-wing influencers lash out at Republican National Convention over Sikh prayer

Written by Alex Kaplan

Published

After a Republican National Committee member conducted a Sikh prayer during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention, right-wing influencers attacked the “shameful” and “pagan” prayer, claiming it “betrayed the true God,” was “not emblematic of America,” and was actually “decorated word salad for ‘Hail Satan’” and “anti-Christian evil.”

  • Republican National Committee member gives Sikh prayer at Republican National Convention

  • RNC member Harmeet Dhillon gave a Sikh prayer at the Republican National Convention. On July 15, the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention, Dhillon, a California Republican National Committee member, gave a Sikh prayer. [Twitter/X, 7/16/24]

  • Conspiracy theorists, figures affiliated with white nationalism, and others in the right wing attack Dhillon and the Republican National Convention for her prayer

  • Right-wing conspiracy theorist podcaster Candace Owens: The Sikh prayer was “not emblematic of America.” Owens also claimed on her YouTube show that the prayer was “not something that patriots are rallying behind.” [YouTube, Candace Owens, 7/16/24; Media Matters, 6/25/24]

  • Election conspiracy theorist David Clements: “Christ saves Trump from assassination attempt. RNC decides to have a prayer to Waheguru, a genderless pagan god. Way to go, idiots.” [Telegram, 7/16/24; Media Matters, 3/14/24]

  • QAnon figure QAnon John called the Sikh prayer “shameful” and “blasphemy.” John Sabal, known online as “QAnon John” and “The Patriot Voice,” criticized the convention for making former President Donald Trump “sit through this,” and added that “America is a CHRISTIAN nation, have you forgotten???” [Telegram, 7/16/24; Dallas Observer, 8/31/21]

  • White nationalist Keith Woods: “Your presidential candidate dodges a bullet to the head, opportunity for world historic moment,” and instead the convention has a Sikh prayer. Woods shared a video of the prayer — captioned “Republican party:” — seemingly juxtaposing the video with a hypothetical “world historic moment.” [Telegram, 7/15/24; Media Matters, 2/13/24]

  • White nationalist Lauren Witzke called the Sikh prayer “witchcraft” and a “lovely decorated word salad for ‘Hail Satan.’” Witzke, a white nationalist who has promoted QAnon, called for Dhillon to be “deported,” calling her a “pagan blasphemer,” and claimed that the “RNC mock[ed]” Trump “with this witchcraft.” She also claimed that the prayer praised Satan in a post subsequently shared by the Gab account of the far-right forum TheDonald, also known online as “patriots.win.” [Twitter/X, 7/16/24; Gab, 7/16/24; Right Wing Watch, 5/24/23; Media Matters, 6/5/24]

  • “Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander: Republican National Convention featured “total witchcraft” that was “mixed with pagan prayers.” [Telegram, 7/16/24; Media Matters, 7/27/21]

  • White nationalist ally Jon Miller: Sikh prayer shows “it is over folks” and “it’s time for curtains.” Miller wrote, “i know…no i pray…they did not actually just bring on a sikh woman to recite an ancestral prayer at the american rnc. it is over folks. it’s time for curtains. thank you for coming.” Miller’s post was subsequently shared by white nationalist Nick Fuentes. [Telegram, 7/15/24, 7/16/24; Angry White Men, 3/3/21]

  • Christian podcaster Taylor Marshall: “Republican organizers are idiots and idolaters” who have “betrayed the true God” with Sikh prayer. Marshall wrote, “The Lord Jesus Christ just saved the life of Trump and we have prayers to a false god???? Republican organizers are idiots and idolaters. They have betrayed the true God. Trump and GOP are so screwed now.” [Twitter/X, 7/15/24; Vanity Fair, 10/30/20]

  • Far-right conspiracy theorist Paul Harrell called the Sikh prayer “anti-Christian evil” and “literal demon worship.” Harrell, a host on white nationalist Stew Peters’ network, also said in a video that the prayer showed that the Republican National Convention is “spiritually blind.” [Twitter/X, 7/16/24, 7/16/24, 4/1/24; Media Matters, 3/13/23]