Trump fans are fuming at the president’s signature Florida resort after Mar-a-Lago canceled an anti-Muslim group’s fundraiser starring conservative columnist Michelle Malkin.
Mar-a-Lago had been set to host a Nov. 7 cocktail reception and dinner for anti-Muslim group ACT for America, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Malkin was the keynote speaker at the event, with tickets starting at $1,500.
By Sunday, though, the Trump Organization had canceled the event—apparently in the face of coverage connecting Mar-a-Lago to the anti-Muslim statements made by ACT for America and its founder, Brigitte Gabriel, who claimed in 2007 that practicing Muslims “cannot be loyal citizens of the United States.”
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“This event will absolutely not be taking place at Mar-a-Lago,” a Trump Organization spokesperson told The New York Times.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Gabriel blamed the cancellation on “Trump attorneys” and tweeted that the cancellation would cost her group “a large portion of our operating budget.”
“Regrettably, the Trump attorneys in New York caved to the Left’s bullying tactics and made a decision to cancel our event within hours of the articles coming out,” Gabriel said in a statement.
ACT for America and the Trump Organization didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The Trump Organization’s role in the cancellation put Malkin and other Trump supporters who are typically eager to accuse the left of attacking free speech in an awkward position. So instead of risking running afoul of the president, they blamed “cancel culture,” the idea that liberals silence their critics by citing their earlier remarks.
“There is a chilling ‘cancel culture’ campaign being waged against patriotic journalists & activists,” Malkin tweeted.
Other MAGA-world personalities agreed.
“Very disappointing that Mar-a-Lago has joined the Cancel Culture movement,” tweeted Newsmax TV host John Cardillo.
But not all of Trumpworld was so understanding.
Right-wing personality Mike Cernovich claimed that “Trump is banning his own supporters from his properties.” Former Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec, now a staffer on pro-Trump One America News, asked Trump whether he knew Mar-a-Lagohad “banned” Gabriel and Malkin.
In reality, neither woman appears to actually have been banned from the resort.
While Gabriel and her group may be too extreme for Trump’s Palm Beach resort, plenty of Trump acolytes have had no trouble embracing ACT for America in the past. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo received an award from the group in 2016, while Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) spoke at ACT for America’s 2017 convention. Gabriel has touted her access to Trump administration officials.
After Mar-a-Lago canceled the event, one pro-Trump media personality tried to salvage the fundraiser. Jim Hoft, the founder of far-right blog Gateway Pundit, urged his fans to contact Mar-a-Lago and ask them to change their minds.
“Respectfully ask them to reconsider,” Hoft wrote. “Don’t allow SPLC demons to win!”
Despite Hoft’s efforts, the ACT for America fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago is still canceled.
