US military service members and veterans have used social media to offer their support to a young Muslim girl who was scared she and her family would be forced to leave America, after she heard about Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from the country.

Melissa Chance Yassini said her daughter, eight-year-old Sofia, was terrified Mr Trump wanted to kick her and her family — who are Muslim American citizens — out of the country.

"She ran to me with a look of absolute fear on her face," Ms Yassini told Upworthy.

"It was the first time that it really drove home to me that we're in a dangerous place right now."

After comforting her distressed daughter, Ms Yassini expressed her frustration on Facebook.

"She had began collecting all her favourite things in case the army came to remove us from our home," she wrote.

"She checked the locks on the door three, four times. This is terrorism. No child in America deserves to feel that way."

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Ms Yassini's post soon went viral on Facebook, where Army veteran Kerri Peek saw it.

"It bothered me all night," Ms Peek told Upworthy.

"This rhetoric and fear, hate and violence is not okay. It's not the United States that I would fight for."

Sofia's story inspired Ms Peek to take action — so she asked her friends to post photos of themselves in uniform with the hashtag #IWillProtectYou to assure Sofia that they would keep her safe.

"We are the force that stands between precious children and the bad guys," she wrote.

"Post a picture of you in uniform with the hashtag #IWillProtectYou to let these children know that we will not hurt them.

"That they are safe here in America. That we will protect innocents as we always have and by added benefit keeping our oaths to uphold and defend the Constitution."

The hashtag has since gone viral on Facebook and Twitter, with military service members and veterans pledging their support to Sofia, and all people of Muslim faith.

"The country I swore an oath to defend and give my life for accepts all," Darren Mott wrote.

Julie T wrote: "Sofia, I spent 22yrs serving not just my country, but our country to protect our rights."

Ms Yassini said she and Sofia had been overwhelmed by the show of support — and that Sofia was feeling much better.

"I read each and every message to [Sofia]," she told Upworthy.

"And now she understands that we're all part of a fabric which is America."