In a surprising move, Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan – a city with a predominantly Muslim population – has thrown his support behind Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election. Ghalib, who is the first Muslim mayor in the city’s history, made his endorsement public through a Facebook post on Sunday, stating that he believes Trump is “the right choice for this critical time.”
While acknowledging that he and Trump don’t “agree on everything,” Ghalib emphasized his belief that Trump is a man of principle. He wrote in Arabic on his Facebook page, “Though it’s looking good, he may or may not win the election and be the 47th president of the United States, but I believe he is the right choice for this critical time.” Ghalib declared, “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.” He concluded his post with a rallying cry, “Now, let the Caravan begin its journey. This is just the starting point.”
Trump, who is currently running for president, reposted Ghalib’s message on his Truth Social platform. This endorsement comes after a private meeting between the two in Flint earlier this week. Ghalib revealed that Trump was familiar with his background before the meeting, stating, “We talked about various topics including the debates, the polls updates, the statistics of votes in Michigan and Wayne County, the Arab American concerns and the Yemeni Americans in particular. We also talked about the situation in Yemen.”
Hamtramck is notable for being the only city in the United States governed entirely by Muslims, with over 40% of its population born outside the country. This endorsement could be seen as a potential bridge between the Republican party and the Arab American community, especially in light of the growing influence of Muslim voters in the 2024 election.
