A group of Arab American donors and activists will be gathering on Tuesday for a private dinner in Oakland Hills, Michigan, with Richard Grenell, Donald Trump’s former Ambassador to Germany.
Although Grenell is not part of Trump’s campaign team, the former president has labeled him “my envoy,” and Grenell is seen as a strong candidate for a high-ranking national security role should Trump be re-elected. This meeting occurs against the backdrop of growing discontent among Muslim Americans and Arab Americans regarding President Joe Biden’s approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict, as reported by people involved who spoke with the Washington Post.
A New York Times-Siena College poll released last week indicated that Trump is leading Biden 57%-25% among Arab and Muslim voters in five key battleground states. This is a significant shift from four years ago, when Biden secured 56%-35% of the same demographic.
During Michigan’s Democratic primary in February, exit polls show that 94% of Muslim voters cast their ballots as “uncommitted” in protest against Biden, according to some exit polls.
Yahya Basha, a Syrian American physician who has collaborated with the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush, played a key role in organizing the meeting. While Basha has not yet committed his vote to Trump, he is willing to listen to what policies a potential Trump administration would implement compared to those of the Biden administration.
Basha criticized Biden for failing to enforce sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad, describing the administration’s policies as a significant disappointment.
“It’s too early to say Trump is the one. That’s the reason we are hosting an event for his representative, to see how he views the community and what kinds of things he will do,” Basha said. “With [the Biden] administration, I was hopeful for a better policy, but unfortunately, the delivery was lacking.”
Haytham Albizem, a physician from Pennsylvania who voted for Biden in 2020, is now actively organizing and financially supporting Trump’s reelection efforts. The Arab community is particularly upset with Biden for not engaging with Arab community leaders during the initial months of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Despite Trump’s vocal support for Israel during his presidency, his well-defined stance on dealing with Iran could be persuasive enough to attract Arab voters in November.
The Michigan meeting is the first of several planned gatherings in swing states between Trump’s team and Arab community leaders.
