Before Barack Obama landed his job as president of the United States, he had already been the subject of outlandish rumors, including the idea that he lied about his religion. In 2007, an email chain accused Obama of being Muslim as a way to smear him and further incite prejudice toward the Muslim community. “Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background,” one email claimed, per Politico. Another email shockingly accused Obama of being a terrorist with plans of destroying the U.S. from the inside. Of course, it didn’t take long for the 44th president to shut down the baseless rumors, which occurred during a January 2008 rally in South Carolina.
“I’ve been to the same church, the same Christian church, for almost 20 years. I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible,” he told the crowd, per NBC News. “So if you get some silly email… send it back to whoever sent it and tell them this is all crazy. Educate.”
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While Obama is not Muslim, he did showcase support and allyship for the community throughout his time as president. “Muslim communities stand up for the future that you believe in, that you exhibit in your daily lives, as you teach our children, America will be your partner,” he said during a 2016 speech at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, per The White House.
