The Trump administration recently appointed two controversial figures to the White House’s Religious Freedom Commission advisory board. Both are former jihadist operatives from the United States. One of them reportedly trained with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistan in 2000 and later joined attacks in Kashmir.

Ismail Royer’s Past and Prison Term

One appointee, Ismail Royer, once trained in Pakistan with LeT. In 2003, U.S. authorities charged him with terror-related crimes. These included planning war against the U.S. and aiding al-Qaeda and LeT. Royer pleaded guilty in 2004 to helping others use firearms and explosives. As a result, the court sentenced him to 20 years. However, he served only 13 years in prison.

White House Stands by Royer

Despite the backlash, the White House defended Royer’s appointment. Officials said he now leads the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute.

“Since converting to Islam in 1992, he has studied religious sciences with traditional Islamic scholars and spent over a decade working at non-profit Islamic organisations. Royer has worked with nonprofits to promote peace between faiths,” the White House stated.

They also said Royer’s writings appeared in several publications. Moreover, he co-authored a chapter in Religious Violence Today: Faith and Conflict in the Modern World.

Royer Reflects on His Involvement with LeT

In a 2023 interview with the Middle East Forum, Royer reflected on his past. He said, “I liked the people in LeT. I was strongly against Bin Laden and saw Al-Qaeda as a group of extremists. I was told LeT wasn’t an extremist group and that they followed the Saudi imam.”

He also admitted, “I encouraged Muslims at the mosque to join Lashkar and train with them in Kashmir. The training wasn’t very serious, it felt more like tourism. It was like, ‘Here, shoot some guns, explore the mountains, and then go back home.’ It was almost like a promotion.”

Hamza Yusuf Also Appointed

The second appointee is Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, who co-founded Zaytuna College. Critics like political activist Lara Loomer have accused him of having ties with extremist Islamic groups. Loomer, known for her support of Trump and involvement in removing ex-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, strongly opposed these appointments.

Loomer Reacts with Outrage

Loomer sharply criticized Royer’s selection. She called it “insane” and questioned why someone with a terrorist background would be chosen for such a role.