Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, borrowed a phrase from the Iranians, when he referred to the United States as what?

The term was first popularized by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini following the 1979 Iranian Revolution. For Khomeini, the phrase was a powerful way to frame the United States not just as a political adversary, but as a corrupting, imperialist force that spread anti-Islamic values and exploited other nations. It was a deeply symbolic insult, casting the U.S. as the ultimate tempter and source of evil in the world, in contrast (Review) to the "Little Satan," a label he applied to Israel.

Louis Farrakhan, the long-time leader of the Nation of Islam, later adopted this potent epithet in his own speeches. For Farrakhan, the label resonated with his own sharp critiques of American society and foreign policy. He used it to condemn what he viewed as systemic racism, oppression of Black Americans, and aggressive military actions abroad.

By borrowing the phrase, Farrakhan aligned his anti-imperialist and anti-racist rhetoric with a broader, global anti-American sentiment. For both leaders, the term served as a powerful piece of political branding, encapsulating a worldview that saw the United States as a singular, malevolent entity responsible for widespread suffering both at home and around the world.