Trump's Muslim backers say he fulfilled election promise on Gaza

Washington, DC — Muslim allies of US President-elect Donald Trump have hailed the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as the direct result of the "decisive leadership" and "skilled negotiations" of Trump, adding the Republican leader delivered his promise he made to Arab and Muslim voters during the election campaigning.

"Trump's role in brokering the Gaza truce stands as testimony to his fulfilment of a key promise to promote peace in the Middle East, a pledge that resonated with many Arab and Muslim voters," Faisal Deri, founder of the US Africa Growth and Opportunity Club, tells TRT World.

Deri, who is the chair of the African Republicans of Minnesota and had galvanised many Muslim Americans to vote for Trump, says the Gaza ceasefire deal would further cement ties between American Muslims and the Republican Party.

"By addressing issues of deep importance to Muslim and Arab-American communities, such as regional peace and stability, Trump has laid the groundwork for a stronger political connection," he says.

Rola Makki, a resident of Dearborn City in Michigan and the vice president of outreach for the Michigan GOP, tells TRT World the ceasefire deal in Gaza is "a clear example of President Trump keeping his campaign promise."

"Trump promised a ceasefire, he applied pressure, and few days before he takes office, a ceasefire was achieved," says Trump’s Lebanese-American Muslim supporter. She says, with the truce deal that will stop bloodshed in Gaza, Trump has created a big opening between the GOP and the Arab American community.

In the November 2024 presidential election, many Arab and Muslim voters moved away from the Democratic Party and voted overwhelmingly for Trump, who, in his rallies, promised to end wars in the Middle East, especially in besieged Gaza.

The exodus, fuelled by fury over the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza, where Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and uprooted millions, helped Trump win key battleground states, especially Michigan, as he defeated Democratic rival Kamala Harris to win a second term in the White House.

Trump and Biden take credit

On Wednesday, as the ceasefire deal was announced by Qatar, one of the chief mediators, Trump wasted no time in declaring he was the main force behind the agreement.

"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signalled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote on social media.

Minutes later, US President Joe Biden joined the fray and claimed credit for the deal. He asserted the agreement was reached under "the precise contours" of a plan that he set out some eight months ago.

In May 2024, Biden announced a "comprehensive new proposal" that promised a "roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages."

But back-to-back efforts were repeatedly derailed due to new conditions imposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hard-right Cabinet ministers, some of whom have vowed to topple his government if Israel ends its war in Gaza.

Trump, who recently insisted that a ceasefire must be reached before he takes office next week, and the participation of his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in the negotiations appeared to have accelerated the negotiation process.

Witkoff, according to Israeli media, exerted intense pressure on Israeli PM Netanyahu during a tense Saturday meeting, leading to a significant breakthrough.

The meeting between Netanyahu and Witkoff led to a breakthrough in the negotiations, with the top aide to Trump doing more to sway Netanyahu in a single sit-down than outgoing President Biden did all year, two Arab officials told The Times of Israel.

CAIR says Biden and his team deserve zero credit

Rabiul Chowdhury, co-founder of Muslims for Trump, tells TRT World that Trump had an "instrumental role" in achieving the significant diplomatic breakthrough between Palestine and Israel.

"This achievement demonstrates the power of decisive leadership and skilled negotiation in bringing about meaningful progress toward peace in the Middle East," says Chowdhury, whose organisation is dedicated to supporting Trump's vision for America and promoting engagement between the Muslim-American community and the America First movement.

In sharp contrast, he says, the Biden administration's policies led to "devastating consequences worldwide."

"Under Biden's watch, countless innocent women and children have perished, particularly in war-torn regions like Gaza. This administration’s failure to prioritise diplomacy over destruction has caused unnecessary suffering and severely damaged America’s global reputation," says Chowdhury, adding, "Trump's achievement shows that American leadership, when properly directed, can be a powerful force for positive change in the world."

Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), America's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation, welcomed the "long overdue" ceasefire deal "to end the genocide in Gaza."

"President Biden should have forced Netanyahu to accept over a year ago instead of needlessly funding so much death and destruction," said CAIR in its statement.

It commended Trump for pushing for a ceasefire deal and lashed out at Biden, saying, "Let's be clear. President Biden and his failed foreign policy team deserve zero credit for this belated deal. Instead of using US leverage to secure this deal long ago, they spent over a year violating US law and making a mockery of international law by using billions of American taxpayer dollars to fund the Israeli government’s war crimes and depriving the American people of critical services."

CAIR urged the incoming Trump administration "to ensure that the Israeli government does not sabotage this ceasefire deal"