Naaz Modan is the former executive editor for Muslim Girl, a publication focused on Muslim women's issues and empowerment. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author

We shouldered a collective trauma from the hate crimes hurled our way in the aftermath of 9/11 and the spreading anti-Muslim sentiment following Trump's election felt frighteningly familiar (later a Pew Research Center analysis revealed that reported assaults against Muslims surpassed those in 2001).

Past presidents had at least attempted to offer some sense of unity and hope to the American public during times of similar upheaval, so many Muslims looked to the 2017 White House iftar, the evening meal during Ramadan that breaks a day of fasting, as an opportunity that would provide reassurance in an environment reminiscent of the post-9/11 hostility we faced.

But Trump didn't miss a beat to bolster his Islamophobic agenda.

Instead of grabbing at the opportunity to encourage interfaith dialogue like his predecessors, he canceled the traditional meal and released a statement that tapped into Muslim stereotypes . Considering the man's history of Islamophobia and divisiveness — declaring "Islam hates us," saying America has a "Muslim problem," imposing a travel ban targeting Muslim countries, suggesting the establishment of a Muslim registry — many weren't surprised when he abandoned a 20-year bipartisan tradition of hosting White House iftars.

Now, in a suspicious departure from this administration's cold shoulder toward Muslims, the White House announced it will host an iftar dinner on Wednesday to recognize the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. But Trump's sudden interest in entertaining American Muslims will not mask years of openly Islamophobic remarks and policy, nor will it fulfill the underlying purpose of a White House iftar.

Historically, this meal has signified the spirit of religious tolerance sown into America's fabric. Breaking fast in the White House can be traced back to December 9, 1805, when President Thomas Jefferson hosted a dinner in honor of Tunisian envoy Sidi Soliman Mellimelli and adjusted the usual timing of the meal to just after sunset, out of respect for the guest's fast from sunup to sundown. While far-right critics have opposed the characterization of Jefferson's dinner as an "iftar," its significance is indisputable. Jefferson displayed a level of diplomacy and religious tolerance that would be present in later White House iftars under Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

In its modern form, the White House iftar has promoted good faith between American Muslims and the government. The annual practice of hosting the post-sundown meal in the White House began in 1996 with Hillary Clinton, when the former first lady hosted 150 people for an Eid reception after reportedly learning about the practice from her daughter Chelsea. President Bill Clinton continued the tradition in his subsequent years as president.

President George W. Bush held the dinner every year throughout his two terms, including right after the 9/11 attacks, when anti-Muslim sentiment and hate crimes spiked to an unprecedented level. The former president took the opportunity to reaffirm the place and importance of Muslims in America. "America is made better by millions of Muslim citizens," he said in his remarks during the 2001 White House iftar. "All the world continues to benefit from this faith and its achievements. Ramadan and the upcoming holiday season are a good time for people of different faiths to learn more about each other. And the more we learn, the more we find that many commitments are broadly shared."

Whether or not Bush believed his own statements — considering his policies destroyed the lives of thousands of Muslims in America and even more around the world — he did put up a front of unification and diplomacy that is often needed to play politics.

Although President Barack Obama oversaw the staggering expansion of America's drone program, which normalized killings of hundreds of civilians in Muslim countries, Obama also continued the iftar tradition during both his terms, out of respect for the Muslim citizens of America.

But under Trump, any semblance of politics is dead. Diplomacy has been replaced with shameless pandering to the far right. During his short time in office, Trump has purposely staffed his administration with known Islamophobes — Mike Pompeo, John Bolton and Stephen Miller, to name a few — and has taken strides to vilify Muslims in the process. If his promise of a travel ban hadn't already, his decision to silently disband a two-decade tradition when most of the American Muslim community was looking for encouragement and solace spoke loudly: Trump's America does not welcome Muslims.

The time to mollify the American Muslim community is long gone. With an Islamophobe sitting in the Oval Office, this year's invitation to the Ramadan White House iftar seems more like a comical afterthought than an annual tradition.