United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declined a request to host an event on Sunday, May 28, to celebrate Islam's holy month of Ramzan, according to two US officials. Tillerson reportedly broke a bipartisan tradition in place for nearly 20 years by refusing to host the event.
Since 1999, Republican and Democratic secretaries of state have hosted either an Iftar dinner at the State Department to break the day's fast during Ramzan or a reception marking the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the end of the month, Reuters reported.
The state department's Office of Religion and Global Affairs on April 6 had requested Tillerson to host an Eid al-Fitr reception as part of Ramzan celebrations but the secretary of state of the Donald Trump administration refused, two US officials said on conditions of anonymity.
Tillerson's rejection of hosting the event suggests that there are no plans for any high-profile Ramzan function at the state department this year. Ramzan, the holy month of fasting and praying for Muslims, began on Saturday across the world.
A state department spokesperson told Reuters that they are exploring any possible options of observing Eid al-Fitr in July.
"We are still exploring possible options for observance of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramzan. US ambassadors are encouraged to celebrate Ramadan through a variety of activities, which are held annually at missions around the world," the spokesperson said.
President Trump had launched an anti-Muslim rhetoric throughout his presidential elections campaign last year, and had proposed a ban on the entry of Muslims in the United States. Trump partly stood true to his campaign pledge when he signed an executive order banning people from at least six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
The US president's order was stayed by federal judges who deemed it unconstitutional. Muslim activists in the country have accused of Trump's administration of harbouring an unfriendly attitude towards Islam.
