George W. Bush stated after 9/11 that Islam is a religion of peace.
Posted by The Charlie Kirk Show, Checked
- Sources
- 3 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 92%
The Charlie Kirk ShowJul 30, 2026
The claim is supported. On September 17, 2001, Bush said at the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., "Islam is peace," as recorded in the White House transcript, and AP and ABC later reported the same statement. "Religion of peace" is a fair paraphrase of that remark.
The played clip relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.
What was said
… Say it's like we have a lot of delusions about Islam and how it's worked in country after country, and this goes back decades. There's something really remarkable. Let's play it. This is George W. Bush in the wake of 911, clip 33: "The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don't represent peace; they represent evil and war." It's just it's so frustrating and upsetting to see, because I think George W. Bush was the last, was the last president America had who had true freedom of action, that after 911 he could have come out and he could have basically proposed anything, done …
The Charlie Kirk Show · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. The White House's official September 17, 2001 release, titled "'Islam is Peace' Says President," records Bush saying "The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace."[3]
Supports. AP reports that in the week after the attacks Bush demanded Americans know "Islam is peace" and that the attacks were a perversion of that religion.[1]
Supports. ABC News quotes the same September 17, 2001 remarks at the Islamic Center, noting Bush spoke to denounce hatred against Muslims.[4]
Context. Bush's remarks were paired with a statement that the war was against terrorists and evil, not against Islam, which fits the claim's framing that the faith itself was not the enemy.[2][3]
Sources
4 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 1 primary, 1 not rated
- 1From 9/11's ashes, a new world took shape. It did not last.apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2War of words: The fight over 'radical Islamic terrorism' - PolitiFactpolitifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3"Islam is Peace" Says President (Text Only)georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov · primary source · cited for: supports, context
- 420 years after 9/11, Islamophobia continues to haunt Muslimsabcnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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