Reportedly assisting Trump on national security issues while working as a fellow at the anti-Muslim Investigative Project on Terrorism
Pete Hoekstra is a former Republican congressman serving Michigan’s 2nd congressional district from 1993 to 2011. During his tenure as a congressman, Hoekstra served on a variety of committees and caucuses. He is founding member of the U.S. House of Representatives Tea Party Caucus. After a failed gubernatorial run in 2010, Hoekstra stepped away from public service and seemingly turned to a career of working and collaborating with anti-Muslim figures and organizations. Currently, he now serves as a fellow at the Investigative Project on Terrorism, an anti-Muslim think tank run by Steve Emerson. According to the The Wall Street Journal, Hoekstra was “brought in” by Trump “to assist on national security issues.” Hoesktra was also named one of five Michigan co-chairs during Trump’s campaign run.
- Hoekstra is the Shillman Senior Fellow at the Investigative Project on Terrorism, an anti-Muslim outfit run by Steve Emerson.
- He spoke at ACT for America’s 2016 national conference and legislative briefing in Washington, D.C.
- In 2015, Hoekstra spoke on a panel at the David Horowitz Freedom Center’s Restoration Weekend entitled “Muslim Immigration Into Europe: Eurabia Come True?”
- While speaking on the panel, he claimed the U.S. and western world are superior to the Islamic world because of their “Judeo-Christian values.” He has said, “We can make a very compelling case that Judeo-Christian values as exercised in the United States, that we are superior.”
- During his speech, he also peddled common anti-Muslim conspiracy theories such as the concept of “stealth jihad ” and the existence of debunked Muslim-only “no-go zones” in Europe.
- Hoekstra’s boss, Steve Emerson, made international headlines in 2015 when he falsely accused the UK city of Birmingham of being “totally Muslim” during an interview on Fox News. Emerson’s comments even drew criticism from UK Prime Minister David Cameron who called him “a complete idiot.”
- Hoekstra been a frequent guest on “Secure Freedom Radio,” a radio program hosted by anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney.
- He spoke at the Center for Security Policy’s “Defeat Jihad Summit” in 2015.
Updated: 12/21/16