America & Islam: Soundbites, Suicide Bombs and the Road to Donald Trump

FINALIST, RELIGION NEWS ASSOCIATION ＂EXCELLENCE IN RELIGION REPORTING＂ BOOK AWARD

Donald Trump’s weaponization of Islamophobia in his first campaign for U.S. president shocked the world. Yet his promise to end the Gaza war rallied many American Muslims to his side in the 2024 election. Here, acclaimed journalist Lawrence Pintak argues that Trump is a symptom of America’s fractious and contradictory relationship with Islam that stretches back centuries.

Featuring unique interviews with victims and perpetrators of Trump’s policies, as well as analysis of the media’s role in inflaming debate, America & Islam provides a complete guide to the twin challenges of terrorism and the polarizing rhetoric that fuels it, sketching out a future based on co-operation and the reassertion of democratic values.

Lawrence Pintak is an award-winning former CBS News Middle East correspondent and founding dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. He is the author of seven books at the intersection of religion, media and policy and holds a PhD in Islamic Studies.