Florida Republican Representative Randy Fine is confronting mounting demands for his resignation following a series of inflammatory statements targeting Muslim communities and Palestinian advocates. The controversy escalated when Fine posted on social media platform X that “if they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” This remark, made in response to a Palestinian activist’s joke about Islamic views on canine cleanliness, has triggered widespread condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, civil rights organizations, and Jewish groups.
Fine’s political career has been marked by recurrent controversies regarding his rhetoric toward Muslims and Palestinians. In September 2024, he faced accusations of Islamophobia after celebrating the death of Aysenur Eygi, a Turkish-American activist fatally shot by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Eygi was participating in a peaceful protest against illegal Israeli settlements when she was killed, with eyewitnesses confirming she was unarmed.
The lawmaker’s extremist positions extend to foreign policy advocacy. During a May 2025 Fox News appearance, Fine suggested Gaza should be “nuked” analogously to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, following the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, DC.
Democratic leadership has repeatedly condemned Fine’s conduct. California Congressman Ro Khanna characterized the recent statements as “disgusting bigotry,” while New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez described them as “among the most disgusting statements ever issued by an American official.” California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, explicitly demanded Fine’s immediate resignation.
Fine belongs to the recently established “Sharia Free America Caucus,” formed by Republican legislators despite the constitutional separation of church and state and the absence of Islamic law implementation in the United States. His tenure began after filling a vacancy created by President Trump’s UN Ambassador Mike Waltz, with Trump having enthusiastically endorsed Fine’s candidacy.
The representative faces re-election in November’s midterms, pending August’s Republican primary in his Florida district. The ongoing controversy highlights deepening tensions within American political discourse regarding religious tolerance and Middle East policy.