Democratic strategist David Axelrod on Sunday raised concerns about the U.S. abandoning human rights to combat terrorism, following President Trump's speech in Saudi Arabia.

"Must we abandon human rights to fight terrorism?" Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, tweeted on Sunday.

"The lack of one helps fuel the other & ignoring violations weakens U.S. in eyes of world."

Must we abandon human rights to fight terrorism? The lack of one helps fuel the other & ignoring violations weakens U.S. in eyes of world. — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 21, 2017

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During his speech Sunday, Trump urged the Muslim world to "drive out the extremists" and struck a more accommodating tone toward Islam, a religion he repeatedly targeted during his presidential campaign.

"We are not here to lecture. We are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship," he told leaders of more than 50 Muslim-majority nations gathered in Riyadh.

"We are here to offer partnership based on shared interests and values."