IN A WIDELY CIRCULATED video clip released by Young America’s Foundation (YAF) in late May 2026, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and former Congressman Allen West delivered sharp criticism of Islam as a religion, and questioned the expanding Islamic migration into Western societies. Speaking at YAF’s July High School Conference held at Reagan Boyhood Home in Illinois, West remarked that Islam is more of “totalitarian, theocratic, and political system that is rooted in tyranny, rather than a “true religion.”

What Did Allen West Say About Islam? 

West commenced his speech by referencing that the Islamic calendar (Hijri) does not start when Prophet Muhammad received his first revelations from God in Mecca around 610 AD. Instead, it begins with the Hijra — Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD with his religious followers. This event, says West, marked the transition from early preaching of religious ideologies of Islam into conquest, violence, and expansion. He drew a direct parallel to modern times: “By way of Al-Hijra, migration, they [Islamic communities] can come into Western civilization, masquerade themselves as a religion. It ain’t a religion, okay?”

West challenged listeners to examine core Islamic texts, asking, “Show me a religion that says that you should go out and take sex slaves of women after you’ve conquered them.” He further remarked that Islam offers non-believers three choices: convert, subjugate, or die.

See also: The Islamic Republic 3.0: Who Holds Power In Iran?

West's ‘Four Phases’ of Islamic Expansion 

One of the central focuses of West's speeches were the “four phases” in which Islamic Expansion takes place. These four phases, as he described, were: Migration, Population (demographic growth), Agitation, and Domination. West urged Americans to assess the nation’s current position in these phases. He contrasted the United States with the current condition in the United Kingdom — stating that they were nearly in ‘phase four’ (that is domination). “That’s why you got to stop this,” he emphasized.

West cited a tragic incident to underscore the impact Islamic migration and expansion has on American societies. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw, who had returned to his alma mater, Old Dominion University, to teach Army ROTC, was shot and killed in March 2026. The attacker was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone with ties to the terrorist organization ISIS. He was released from prison afterwards and was not denaturalized or deported. Army cadets ultimately subdued and killed the gunman. West used this case to highlight the failures in immigration enforcement and understanding the threat religious ideologies (like Islamic ones) possess.

See also: Communism, Fascism, and Islamism Are All Expansionist Forces, Says Historian Raymond Ibrahim

Islamic Migration in the US: What do the stats say?

According to a 2016 Pew Research Center study (updated in 2018), Muslims comprised approximately 1.1% of the U.S. population (around 3.45 million people). The study also  predicted that due to higher fertility rates and continued immigration, Muslims will become the second-largest religious group in the United States by 2040, surpassing Jews. By 2050, the Muslim population is expected to reach about 8.1 million, or roughly 2.1% of the total U.S. population.

Who is Colonel Allen West?

Colonel Allen West is the former US army lieutenant colonel and also a former member of the U.S. congress. Being a combat veteran, he had spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Army. West has long argued that the western society needs to treat certain Islamist teachings as a political and ideological threat. He is a regular speaker at conservative events and conferences, with a focus on police analysis  and youtube engagement. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has long alleged that West possesses Islamophobic ideologies, owing to his controversial comments aimed at “radical Islamism.”

Suggested reading: