The Democratic mayor of the only Muslim-run city in the United States has endorsed former president Donald Trump, giving him a boost in a key swing state.
In a surprising political turn, Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, threw his support behind Trump’s bid for the White House in the 2024 presidential election. Ghalib said on Sunday that the Republican candidate is a “man of principles” and “the right choice for this critical time,” despite their disagreements on key political issues.
“Though it’s looking good, he may or may not win the election and be the 47th president of the United States,” Ghalib said in a post on his Facebook page. “I’ll not regret my decision no matter what the outcome would be, and I’m ready to face the consequences. For this, and for many other reasons, I announce my support and endorsement for the former, and hopefully, the next president of the United States, Donald Trump.”
Amer Ghalib Facebook
Despite acknowledging some disagreements with the former president, Ghalib highlighted Trump’s principles and his potential to address pressing issues.
Hamtramck, near Detroit, is notable for its Muslim leadership and population, with over 40% of its residents being of the Muslim faith.
Ghalib’s endorsement follows a private meeting with Trump, during which they discussed various issues, including concerns affecting Arab and Yemeni Americans.
Ghalib believes that Trump, despite his contentious policies regarding immigration and sanctuary cities, offers a pragmatic approach to key challenges facing the country.
According to Arab News, Hamtramck is more than 60 percent Muslim, with immigrants from Yemen and Bangladesh constituting the largest populations.
Trump told Breitbart News that he was excited that Ghalib endorsed his campaign.
Alex Brandon/AP
“I was very impressed with him, and he was a very big fan of the Trump administration because he saw no wars — outside of defeating ISIS, but I inherited that — but there were no wars,” Trump said.
“There was no October 7. There was no Russian attack on Ukraine. He sees that, and he told me — he saw a world that was at peace. Now, we have a world that’s going to end up in World War III, and I can stop that. I’m the only one that’s going to stop that.”
Muslims across the nation overwhelmingly favored Joe Biden four years ago, with 86 percent backing the president and just 6 percent supporting Donald Trump.
However, Muslim voters recently told Newsweek that they have “doubts” over supporting Vice President Kamala Harris amid outrage over the war in Gaza from the Muslim community.
During Trump’s administration, he received criticism from Democrats and human rights groups over his anti-Muslim policies.
Trump’s “Muslim ban” refers to Executive Order 13769, signed in January 2017, officially titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.”
The policy restricted entry into the U.S. for citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
It faced widespread criticism as discriminatory and unconstitutional, sparking protests and legal battles.
In response, revised versions were issued, and in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a version of the ban. Critics argue it targeted Muslims, while supporters claimed it was necessary for national security.
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump and Harris campaigns for comment.
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