With just six days remaining until the U.S. presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump has once again ramped up his appeals to Arab and Muslim voters.
In a post on X, Trump declared that if he returns to the White House, he will put an end to the "suffering and destruction in Lebanon." His words add to recent statements he’s made, promising to end the war in Gaza if elected.
"During my Administration, we had peace in the Middle East, and we will have peace again very soon! I will fix the problems caused by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and stop the suffering and destruction in Lebanon. I want to see the Middle East return to real peace, a lasting peace, and we will get it done properly so it doesn’t repeat itself every 5 or 10 years!"
"I will preserve the equal partnership among all Lebanese communities. Your friends and family in Lebanon deserve to live in peace, prosperity, and harmony with their neighbors, and that can only happen with peace and stability in the Middle East. I look forward to working with the Lebanese community living in the United States of America to ensure the safety and security of the great people of Lebanon. Vote Trump for Peace!"
While Trump hasn’t explicitly stated he would force Israel to halt its actions in Gaza and Lebanon, his increasing promises to end the war, along with his often unpredictable nature, may be causing some concern in Jerusalem over how Israeli interests would fare if he defeats Harris next week. Harris, meanwhile, has repeatedly reaffirmed her commitment to Israel’s security and to continuing financial and military aid. Over the past six months, she has called consistently for an end to the Gaza conflict. Still, based on past experience, the expectation was that Trump would offer Israel far more leeway.
Trump raised eyebrows earlier this year when he praised Hezbollah as a "smart organization" and when he said that Israel should end the war in Gaza because it was causing it image damage. On the other hand, he repeatedly accused Biden and Harris of not giving Israel sufficient support, and said that it is better for Hamas that the Israeli hostages return home before he returns to the White House.
Trump explains: 'The Arabs in Michigan want peace'
Arab and Muslim voters in the U.S. - like Jewish voters - tend to vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, who are seen in their eyes as those who will better protect the rights of minorities and immigrants. However, in the current election campaign, certain shifts are noticeable against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East: On the Jewish side, more people are considering voting for Trump instead of Harris due to the feeling that the Democratic Party is distancing itself from Israel and not doing enough to stop the wave of antisemitism in the U.S., including on campuses; And on the Arab and Muslim side there are quite a few who intend to refrain from giving their vote to Harris , in protest of her "assistance to the genocide in Gaza," as they see it.
Even if only a few percent in each of the communities change their voting patterns, in an election campaign as close as the one currently underway, this may have dramatic consequences.
At a rally he held this weekend in Michigan, Trump raised a sword in the battle for the Muslim voice, when he hosted on stage those he presented as "prominent leaders in the Muslim community of Michigan."
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Trump with Michigan Muslim leaders at a rally in the state
(Photo: Drew Angerer / AFP)
"I'm thrilled to have the support of these rather respectable leaders," Trump said as he invited them to the stage, and later stated that Arab and Muslim voters "could swing the election one way or the other."
“We, as Muslims, stand with President Trump because he promises peace – he promises peace, not war,” Imam Bilal Alzuhairi said. “We are supporting Donald Trump because he promised to end war in the Middle East and Ukraine.”
"And I think this man can make it happen. I personally believe there's a reason why God saved his life twice," the imam said, referring to the two assassination attempts from which Trump survived.
Trump at his rally on Saturday claimed that “Jews, Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons, Muslims are joining our cause in larger numbers than ever before and now the most wonderful thing is happening.”
“The Muslim and Arab voters in Michigan and across the country want a stop to the endless wars and a return to peace in the Middle East. That’s all they want,” Trump said.
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