Dustin Rhodes Issues Apology For Responding To Islamophobic Tweet

AEW talent and coach Dustin Rhodes was recently involved in an online controversy that revolved around him responded to an Islamophoic, racist, and transphobic tweet with a now deleted heart and rock-on emoji reply tweet.

Mustafa Ali responded to Dustin Rhodes after Rhodes reacted to a social media post featuring a woman holding a firearm and wearing a shirt with a women’s restroom symbol and the words “Come And Take It,” alongside the caption, “Hey ISLAM, come at take it. I dare ya.” Rhodes… pic.twitter.com/xPRGUyLS2k

— NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW news (@nodqdotcom) August 18, 2026

This quickly led to online backlash towards Rhodes for being in support of the hateful tweet from both fans and wrestlers including TNA talent Mustafa Ali.

“I respect you and your family immensely. You showing support to something like this is really disappointing.”

I respect you and your family immensely. You showing support to something like this is really disappointing. https://t.co/MCNave5l42

— Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) August 18, 2026

Following the negative online backlash, Rhodes responded on Twitter apologizing for his actions and claimed that he was only showing support for the gun in the picture and not the actual hateful message and views expressed by the account. Rhodes also claimed that the situation was caused due to him having selecting reading issues.

“My apologies for liking a firearm pic. Did not not read the caption and that is my bad. I by no means, and you all know, I am not a racist person. We all bleed red. Truthfully liked the firearm in picture, nothing more. I sincerely apologize.

Yall can think what you want, but I am or have selective reading. Not a lie. Once again, i am sorry for not reading the post. I am 110% againt what she said after looking. I am being honest.”

My apologies for liking a firearm pic. Did not not read the caption and that is my bad. I by no means, and you all know, I am not a racist person. We all bleed red. Truthfully liked the firearm in picture, nothing more. I sincerely apologize

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) August 18, 2026

Yall can think what you want, but I am or have selective reading. Not a lie. Once again, i am sorry for not reading the post. I am 110% againt what she said after looking. I am being honest.

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) August 18, 2026

Ali responded to Rhodes accepting his apology and asked him to be more careful about sharing “anti-whatever” rhetoric posts in the future due to the dangers of normalizing hateful messages towards certain groups.

“I appreciate the apology, please be careful about anti-whatever rhetoric posts. Normalizing it is dangerous for all of us. Be well, Dustin.”

I appreciate the apology, please be careful about anti-whatever rhetoric posts. Normalizing it is dangerous for all of us. Be well, Dustin. https://t.co/OnRh7w3MEc

— Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) August 18, 2026