‘How About Condemning Terrorism?: Allstate Ripped For Response To ISIS-Inspired Attack

Allstate, the insurance giant that sponsors the Sugar Bowl, was blasted on Thursday for its response to the New Orleans terror attack that killed at least 15 people and wounded dozens more on New Year’s Day.

Early Wednesday morning, 42-year-old American citizen and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar — who pledged his allegiance to ISIS — sped a pickup truck through a crowded Bourbon Street, killing people who were ringing in the New Year. This year’s Sugar Bowl game between Georgia and Notre Dame, which was initially scheduled for Wednesday night, was delayed until Thursday afternoon after the terror attack.

Before the Sugar Bowl kicked off, ESPN played a short video from Allstate CEO Thomas Wilson, who offered his condolences to friends and family of the victims and then implored Americans to be “stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity.”

“Join Allstate working in local communities all across America to amplify the positive, increase trust, and accept people’s imperfections and differences,” Wilson added. “Together, we win.”

The Allstate video went viral on social media and was roundly criticized after it was shared by Turning Point USA spokeswoman Isabel Brown.

“Turned on the Notre Dame – Georgia game for it to start with this ridiculous propaganda from @Allstate on yesterday’s terrorist attack: ‘We need to overcome an addiction to divisiveness and negativity… & accept people’s imperfections and differences’??!!! You’re JOKING,” Brown wrote alongside the video.

Turned on the Notre Dame – Georgia game for it to start with this ridiculous propaganda from @Allstate on yesterday’s terrorist attack:

“We need to overcome an addiction to divisiveness and negativity… & accept people’s imperfections and differences”??!!!

You’re JOKING. pic.twitter.com/Xiwdek3BoP

— Isabel Brown (@theisabelb) January 2, 2025

Others chimed in, blasting Allstate for failing to condemn terrorism and lecturing Americans about “acceptance.”

“Insane move @Allstate. How about condemning terrorism? Fire all your PR people,” said Outkick founder Clay Travis.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott wrote, “This is crazy by Allstate. Maybe — and hear me out here — we should all agree that terrorism will not be tolerated in the United States.”

“Only major companies somehow get this out of touch with society,” said conservative activist Robby Starbuck. “To normal people this sounds like @Allstate giving cover to an ISIS terrorist as if he wouldn’t have killed those people if we all accepted his backwards ideology. This is the definition of suicidal empathy.”

Former NBC NFL reporter Michele Tafoya said Allstate probably “wishes it had a mulligan.”

“Yikes. Bad decision. Silly message. Platitudes about acceptance, and nothing about rejecting terror in all its forms,” she wrote.

Allstate has been a longtime corporate sponsor of college football. Its logo, which features two hands, is often seen on the netting behind field goalposts. The insurance company has sponsored the Sugar Bowl since 2007. Allstate has fully endorsed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), calling it a “core value.”