News coming from the White House is certainly unexpected. Two highly controversial appointments to the White House Advisory Board under the Trump administration have sparked widespread criticism due to the appointees’ documented links to terrorism and extremist networks. Ismail Royer, a former convict with proven ties to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban, and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, a prominent Islamic scholar accused of connections to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, were both named to the Advisory Board of Lay Leaders under the White House Religious Liberty Commission.
Ismail Royer, born Randall Todd Royer, converted to Islam in 1992 and became involved in militant Islamist circles. He travelled to Pakistan in 2000 to train at a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp, participated in armed activities in Kashmir, and was linked to propaganda efforts supporting jihadist causes. In 2003, Royer was indicted on terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to wage war against the US and providing material support to terrorist groups. He pleaded guilty in 2004, admitting to aiding others in gaining entry to LeT camps and supporting Taliban operations, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, serving 13 years before his release in 2017.
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College in California, is recognised as a leading Islamic scholar in the West. However, he has faced allegations of making provocative speeches that allegedly influenced terrorists and has been charged by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). Yusuf has also been accused of downplaying the concept of jihad and maintaining links to groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. He was questioned by the FBI after the 9/11 attacks for past remarks considered sympathetic to jihadist causes.
The appointments have raised serious questions about the Trump administration’s vetting process, with critics, including investigative journalist Laura Loomer, describing the move as “insane and unacceptable” and pointing to it as a failure in background checks for sensitive advisory roles. The White House, however, has emphasised Royer’s recent work in religious advocacy and interfaith cooperation and Yusuf’s status as a respected academic, without directly addressing concerns about their pasts.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)