US President Donald Trump on Thursday hosted an Iftar dinner at White House and asserted that his administration is keeping its promises to the Muslim community and is engaged in relentless diplomacy to forge a lasting peace in the Middle East. Trump made these remarks as he hosted the annual Iftar dinner at the White House, where he also thanked the hundreds of thousands of Muslim Americans who supported him in the 2024 Presidential Election.
"As we are in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, let me begin by saying to my Muslim friends — Ramadan Mubarak," Trump said while addressing the gathering.
Check who attended White House Iftar dinner
The White House event was attended by Muslim community leaders, diplomats, and government officials. "The Muslim community was there for us in November – and while I'm president, I'm going to be there for you," he said during a brief speech ahead of the meal.
"We had the four great countries, and nothing happened, despite the importance of the Abraham Accords. But I have a feeling it's going to fill out very quickly. It's already. People are talking already about it. They should have had a long, long ago. It should have been done," he said.
Who started the Iftar dinner tradition first?
The White House Iftar dinner is an annual reception usually held at the White House and hosted by the US President and the First Lady to celebrate the Muslim month of Ramadan. This tradition first started in 1996 when Hillary Clinton hosted a Ramadan Eid celebration dinner. The reception is attended by prominent members of the Muslim American community, including politicians, community leaders and students.
Later, President Bill Clinton continued the tradition, and so also did George W Bush who hosted an Iftar dinner at the White House in 2001. Barack Obama also hosted his first Ramadan dinner in 2009 and subsequently every year of his presidency.
Donald Trump in 2017 broke the two-decade-old White House Iftar tradition by not hosting an Iftar dinner at the White House. However, he started it at the White House on June 6, 2018, and in 2019 the White House held the Iftar dinner on May 13, 2019. Later, Joe Biden resumed the tradition on Eid-Ul-Fitr in 2022.
Significance of White House iftar dinner at time of war
The White House iftar dinner assumes significance at a time when war rages in West Asia between Israel and Hamas after a fragile ceasefire, brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt, was halted in Gaza as Israel pushes the Palestinian militant group to release hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack on its southern border.
"Every day during the sacred month, the Muslims fast from dawn to dusk deepening their focus on prayer and devotion to God. Then Muslims all over the world join families and friends each night and give thanks to the almighty, breaking their fast with Iftar dinner. We are all looking for peace for the entire world," Trump stated.