Democratic Muslim mayor supports Trump in key swing state

The Democratic mayor of the only Muslim-governed city in the United States has endorsed former President Donald Trump, giving him a boost in a key swing state.

In a surprising political shift, Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, endorsed Trump’s bid for the White House in the 2024 presidential election. Ghalib said Sunday that the Republican candidate was a “man of principle” and “the right choice for this critical time,” despite their differences on key policy issues.

“Although things are looking good, he may or may not win the election and become the 47th President of the United States,” Ghalib said in a post on his Facebook page. “I will not regret my decision, whatever the outcome, and I am ready to face the consequences. For this and many other reasons, I declare my support and endorsement for the former and hopefully next President of the United States, Donald Trump.”

Although he acknowledged some differences of opinion with the former president, Ghalib emphasized Trump’s principles and his potential to address pressing issues.

Hamtramck, near Detroit, is known for its Muslim leadership and its Muslim population: over 40% of its residents are of the Muslim faith.

Ghalib’s endorsement followed a private meeting with Trump where they discussed a variety of issues, including concerns about Arab and Yemeni Americans.

Ghalib believes that despite his controversial immigration and sanctuary city policies, Trump offers a pragmatic approach to the key challenges facing the country.

According to Arab News, over 60 percent of Hamtramck’s residents are Muslim, with immigrants from Yemen and Bangladesh making up the largest portion of the population.

Trump told Breitbart News he was pleased that Ghalib was supporting his campaign.

“I was very impressed with him, and he was a very big fan of the Trump administration, because he saw no wars – other than the defeat of ISIS, but I inherited that – but there were no wars,” Trump said.

“There was no October 7th. There was no Russian attack on Ukraine. He sees that, and he told me that – he saw a world that was at peace. Now we have a world that is going to end in World War III, and I can stop that. I am the only one who can stop that.”

Four years ago, Muslims across the country overwhelmingly favored Joe Biden: 86 percent supported the president and only 6 percent supported Donald Trump.

But Muslim voters recently said Newsweek that they had “doubts” about supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, given the outrage of the Muslim community over the war in Gaza.

During his term in office, Trump was criticized by Democrats and human rights groups for his anti-Islam policies.

Trump’s “Muslim travel ban” refers to Executive Order 13769, signed in January 2017, officially titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.”

This rule restricted entry into the United States for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

It was widely criticized as discriminatory and unconstitutional, sparking protests and legal disputes.

In response, revised versions were issued, and in 2020 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a version of the ban. Critics argue it targets Muslims, while supporters claim it is necessary for national security.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump and Harris’ campaign teams for comment.

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