TikTok has taken down a video by beauty mogul and influencer Huda Kattan after she made inflammatory claims linking Israel to global conflicts and terror attacks.
The Iraqi-American entrepreneur, best known as the founder and CEO of the billion-dollar Huda Beauty brand, posted a video on Sunday to her 1.7 million followers claiming Israel was behind “every world war” as well as the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US and the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video
On Tuesday, TikTok confirmed it had removed the post, saying it violated the platform’s community guidelines on hate speech and misinformation. While the company did not comment further, the video had already sparked widespread backlash.
Neither Kattan nor her company, Huda Beauty, responded to requests for comment.
Backlash From Jewish Groups
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemned Kattan’s remarks, accusing her of using her massive platform to promote “vile antisemitic conspiracy theories.”
“This isn’t ‘criticism of Israel’. It’s centuries-old hate, repackaged and broadcast to millions,” the AJC said in a statement. “A beauty company spreading this ugliness isn’t just ironic—it’s dangerous. Words have real-life consequences. This rhetoric must be called out, exposed, and condemned.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also criticized Kattan’s comments, calling them “dangerous and historically baseless accusations” that echoed “the oldest and most pernicious antisemitic tropes.”
What Kattan Claimed
In her now-deleted video, Kattan said she believed Israel was behind World War One, World War Two, the 9/11 terror attacks, and the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 250 hostages taken.
“I had a feeling, I was like, were they behind every world war? Yes. Behind September 11th? Absolutely,” she said in the recording.
She also repeated unfounded accusations that Israel “protects paedophiles,” remarks that have further fueled outrage.
Kattan’s Global Influence
Kattan, who was featured on the BBC 100 Women list in 2023 and ranked 15th on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest online creators, remains one of the most influential names in beauty. Her company, Huda Beauty, boasts more than 57 million Instagram followers and a worldwide customer base.
TikTok’s Policy on Hate Speech
TikTok’s community guidelines explicitly ban hate speech, the promotion of hateful ideologies, and misinformation that could cause significant harm, including conspiracy theories.
The platform’s move highlights growing scrutiny of influencer content, especially when creators with global audiences spread misinformation or hate-based narratives.
With Kattan’s remarks sparking international backlash, the episode underscores the responsibility that comes with influence—especially when a business empire is tied to a personality with millions of followers.
