Arab-Americans feel Trump's cabinet picks send dangerous signal

Arab-Americans, many of whom cast their votes for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, are voicing frustration and disappointment with his cabinet appointments.

These grievances stem from the overwhelmingly pro-Israel stance of several key nominees, which many feel undermines Trump's campaign promises to pursue peace in the Middle East.

This sentiment is particularly resonant in Arab-American communities across Michigan and other swing states, where their support for Trump played a crucial role in his electoral success.

Pro-Israel appointments

Youssef Chouhoud, an assistant professor of political science at Christopher Newport University told TRT World: “Muslim or Arab-Americans should certainly not be pleased with any of the candidates that Trump has put forth for his cabinet”.

Trump’s key picks include former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel. As a staunch supporter of Greater Israel, Huckabee once said Palestinians didn’t exist.

Huckabee’s past statements, including his denial of the existence of Palestinians and his rejection of a two-state solution, have drawn sharp criticism from Arab American leaders.

Huckabee has “refused to acknowledge the occupation of Palestinian territory and refers to the West Bank as ‘Judea and Samaria’—a biblical allusion that is used by Israeli settlers and other extremists to lay claim to the land,” added Chouhoud.

While Pete Hegseth, a former US Army veteran who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been nominated for Secretary of Defense.

Calling for the demolition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hegseth’s anti-Muslim rhetoric also spills over into US politics. “He has made clear that he has dangerous beliefs, as evident by his lamenting Muslim birth rates and immigration. His Christian nationalist leanings are likely not going to bode well for Muslims in the US or abroad.”

Similarly, Marco Rubio, Trump's choice for secretary of state, has steadfastly opposed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and supported Israel's aggressive military incursions.

Then there’s Elise Stefanik, chosen to represent the US at the United Nations. She has a history of opposing funding for Palestinian aid programmes and has strongly criticised UN resolutions condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Many of his cabinet picks "don't look promising," Farah Khan, co-chair of the Abandon Harris in Michigan, told TRT World.

"His nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard is extremely anti-Muslim and is believed to be part of the Hindutva movement, which is known for its violence against Muslims".

These appointments send “a dangerous signal,” Chouhoud added. “They do nothing to address critical concerns of Arab and Muslim Americans.”

Israel's genocidal war in Gaza continues to be the main concern for Arab Americans, with 81 percent identifying it as an important factor in shaping their vote in the elections. Among the broader public, 26 percent ranked the crisis in Gaza as one of their most pressing issues.

Broken promises on peace

During his campaign, Trump courted Arab-American and Muslim voters with promises of ending the wars in Palestine's Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond. His visits to Arab-majority cities, including Dearborn, Michigan, and his praise of Muslim communities as "peace-loving," raised expectations for a presidency focused on diplomacy and conflict resolution.

At the time, Amer Ghalib, mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, told TRT World one of the reasons he was supporting Trump was over the Biden administration’s foreign policy, especially over the handling of issues related to the Middle East.

Ghalib suggested Trump had been disconnected with Muslims during his last run as president, “But he has changed significantly. This is a new era."

However, the cabinet nominations suggest a stark departure from these assurances. Many in the Arab-American community now view these picks as indicative of an administration prioritising uncritical support for Israel, rather than addressing the root causes of Middle Eastern conflicts.

America's Muslim community is "anxious" said Khan, but Trump's unpredictable nature from his last run in office when he sacked "half of his cabinet", could mean a shake up of his nominations.

Patience and optimism

The disillusionment with Trump’s selections is not universal among Arab-Americans, with some calling for patience, emphasising the need to see how Trump’s policies unfold before passing judgment.

Bishara Bahbah, chairman of Arab Americans for Trump (AAFT) remains optimistic telling TRT World: “We are expecting more appointments for Arab and Muslim Americans, particularly in the areas of ending wars and establishing peace in the Middle East.”

Bahbah instead celebrates Trump’s nominations of two Arab-Americans in his administration, for the first time - Jannette Nesheiwat a doctor and Fox News medical contributor as US Surgeon General and and Marty Makary a pancreatic surgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins as Head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - calling them a “testament to the hard work of Arab Americans for Trump and recognition of our role in his election.”

But Chouhoud is less convinced, “There is a difference between descriptive and substantive representation. Having Arab Americans in the administration is a step forward in terms of the former, but there’s no indication there will be progress on issues that matter most to this community.”

As Trump prepares for his second term, the onus is on him to reconcile the expectations he cultivated during his campaign with the realities of his administration’s trajectory. Whether he succeeds in bridging this gap will likely define his relationship with the Arab-American and Muslim communities moving forward.

Chouhoud suggests that while the extreme nature of these appointments and their subsequent actions might eventually inspire Democrats to oppose Israel's refusal to engage, such a shift would likely take time. “Short-term, I don’t see anything beneficial coming from the Trump administration.”