Trump backs Abbott as DFW Airport scraps Islamic foot-washing station plan amid gov's criticism

DALLAS, TEXAS: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport abandoned its plans for more Islamic washing stations at the international terminal on Friday, Aug 14. This came right after Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a review of state funding for both DFW and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Abbott also referred the airports to the US Department of Transportation for investigation, saying government-run airports can’t give special treatment to one religion.

President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social soon after DFW called off the project. He supported Abbott’s actions and the airport’s decision to reverse course.

Greg Abbott calls washing station plan 'illegal,' threatens state funding

"Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others," Abbott wrote on X Friday.

"DFW plans to install Islamic wudu washing facilities are illegal. I've directed a review of all state grants to both airports for possible revocation, and referred DFW & IAH to USDOT for investigation,” he said. "Texas will not allow illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities." 

On hearing that DFW was considering a proposal to install ablution washing stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D, its international terminal, at an estimated cost of about $120,000, Abbott took quick action.

The project had been submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on July 31. Although it was initially listed as privately funded, the airport later stated that this was an administrative error by its external design firm. 

"DFW was in the process of evaluating an internal proposal to add a set of ablution washing stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D, the international terminal. Like all proposed projects, the airport ultimately considers the operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks and costs before approving them," the airport said. 

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Abbott asked the US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration to review religious facilities and accommodations at both airports.

"These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal," Abbott said.

"Both airports are government-owned facilities. The federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination. Just as the government cannot favor the secular over the sacred, it also cannot favor one religious view over all others."

Trump posts about the move in support

Trump posted on his Truth Social and showed his support for Gov Abbott’s move.

Abbott's office said recipients of state grants must certify compliance with laws prohibiting discrimination.

The airport stated that it does not use money paid by taxpayers for its operations and that it relies instead on income from parking, concessions, and other areas, adding that the errors in the document concerning the source of funding and the cost estimate had been caused by the airport's external design firm without having received final approval from the airport.

Abbott's office also mentioned that there is already an ablution station and an adjacent prayer room at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and stated that this facility too would have to go through the state grant review.

Likewise, low-level washing basins and interfaith spaces are found at a number of other major US airports, such as Chicago O'Hare.