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| © Provided by The Hill |
By Aris Folley, Tha Hill
President Trump is scheduled to host an iftar dinner at the White House in recognition of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Politico reported Saturday.
According to the publication, the dinner will occur on Wednesday and is the first time the president will host the holiday meal after his controversial decision not to honor the presidential tradition the previous year.
The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
Trump faced backlash last year for breaking with nearly two decades of tradition by forgoing the commemorative dinner embraced by Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who started the dinners at the White House.
The iftar dinner at the White House is usually attended by prominent members of the Muslim community, diplomats and Congress members.
The president has faced criticism over his comments on Muslims in the past, as well as his travel ban restricting several Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East from entering the U.S.
In a statement the president issued last month at the start of Ramadan, he said, "Ramadan reminds us of the richness Muslims add to the religious tapestry of American life."
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