Why Republicans Are Suddenly Talking About ‘Sharia Law’ Again

 

It feels like déjà vu. After nearly a decade of silence, Republicans are once again warning about the supposed threat of “Sharia law” — a conspiracy theory that first gained traction in far-right circles more than ten years ago.

Back in the early 2010s, conservative activists and politicians claimed Islamic law was “creeping” into the U.S. legal system. That panic faded for a while, but now, it’s making a bizarre comeback.

Old Fear, New Faces

The renewed fixation began resurfacing in recent months. During a public event in his Oklahoma district, Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) told constituents, “You’ve got Sharia law trying to be established in America today.”

At first, that statement sounded like an outdated echo from 2014. But soon, it became clear Brecheen wasn’t alone.

In early October, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) posted on social media, “BAN SHARIA LAW. It has NO PLACE in America.” Days later, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chimed in, saying, “Sharia law has no place in the USA and is incompatible with the Constitution,” while backing a symbolic Florida bill that aims to “ban” Sharia law — something that has never existed in U.S. courts.

Meanwhile, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), currently running for Texas attorney general, told Fox Business viewers, “I don’t think Texas should be subject to the advancement of Sharia.”

Even Donald Trump himself briefly revived the talking point during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, denouncing Sharia law in remarks that left diplomats puzzled.

A Blast From the Past

For younger readers, this might sound like a strange rerun — and it is. From 2011 to 2015, conservative pundits and some Republican politicians routinely warned that Muslim Americans were plotting to replace the Constitution with Islamic religious law.

Of course, that was never true. No U.S. state has ever implemented, or even seriously considered implementing, Sharia law. The campaign was largely a fear-mongering tactic designed to stir up anxiety about Muslim communities and frame them as a political threat.

Prominent Republicans at the time, including Newt Gingrich, even included anti-Sharia proposals in their platforms, appealing to a fringe voter base that saw Islam as incompatible with “American values.”

Why the Fear Is Back

So why resurrect a false scare from more than a decade ago? Analysts suggest that Republicans may be running out of fresh culture-war targets. After years of focusing on immigration, gender identity, and “wokeness,” reviving a classic boogeyman might feel like a safe political move — especially for candidates trying to energize their most hardline supporters.

But the anti-Sharia rhetoric of 2025 feels even more detached from reality than it did in 2014. America’s Muslim population remains small, peaceful, and civically active — and no evidence exists that any group is attempting to impose Islamic law anywhere in the United States.

A Distraction From Real Issues

With the country facing real crises — from a government shutdown to ongoing corruption scandals in Washington — this renewed focus on a nonexistent problem seems like a strategic distraction.

Instead of addressing economic hardship, healthcare, or governance, some Republican leaders are reaching for the old “Sharia law” panic button, hoping to reignite cultural fear and score easy political points.

But for most Americans, it’s clear: the so-called “Sharia threat” is as fictional today as it was a decade ago.