South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace clashed with a CNN host over Muslim religious expression during an on-air interview. The confrontation intensified after Mace said Muslim worship should stay inside homes or mosques. She said it should not happen “on the streets of America.” The host challenged those remarks by citing First Amendment protections for religious freedom.
The exchange aired on CNN as the host defended Muslims’ right to practice their faith in public. Mace answered that worship belonged “in the privacy of their own mosque or their own home.”
Mace then pointed to women she described as covered “head to toe with little slits for their eyes.” She said seeing them that way was “scary” to her.
The host replied that no one was forcing Mace to follow those practices. Mace answered, “It’s being pretty forced on women and underage girls.”
She focused next on children and the hijab. Mace said, “A six-year-old girl doesn’t get a say on whether she should wear a hijab or not.” The host responded that families decide how to govern their children.
Mace described the ideology she was discussing as “very dangerous” and “seeping into American culture.” The host responded by citing constitutional protections for religious freedom.
He said the First Amendment clearly protects freedom of religion. He also cited Article VI’s prohibition on religious tests for public office.
Mace replied, “We have Christian foundations as a nation.” The host countered that the First Amendment protects people who choose to express their religion.
She then said, “Then go back to that country.” Mace continued, “Go back to that country of origin. It doesn’t need to be here.”
The host responded that America has a long history of cultures arriving through immigration. As he tried to end the interview, Mace went further.
“I think we should ban all immigrants from those countries,” Mace said.
Nancy Mace Draws First Amendment Backlash Over CNN Remarks on Muslim Worship
Responses on X quickly centered on religious freedom and whether Mace’s position squared with the Constitution.
One user backed the host’s constitutional pushback, writing, “Great to see the Constitution cited correctly. Mace’s comments were out of line.” Another questioned Mace’s obligations as an elected official: “She either supports the Constitution of the United States or she doesn’t. Didn’t she take an Oath to support it?”
Others focused on Mace’s distinction between Muslim and Christian religious expression. One response stated, “That’s wild to me because having lived in Los Angeles, I can tell you that there are Christians who stand on street corners and proselytize.”
Another challenged Mace’s description of the country’s religious foundations. “We are not a Christian nation, we are a nation established where you can be a Christian if one so chooses, or not, or another religion. She is incorrect on the fundamental basics of American government.”
Support for Mace also appeared in the responses. One user wrote, “Nancy is absolutely correct. Act as if you’re friends, draw people in and then end them. That’s your plan.”
The interview ended without Mace identifying which countries she wanted covered by the proposed immigration ban. Her remarks left the scope of that call unresolved as the dispute over religious freedom and the First Amendment continued beyond the CNN exchange.
