Trump’s Arab American Supporters Praise Gaza Deal but Fear It May Not Last

Lifetime Democrat Samra Lukman became a vocal supporter of Donald Trump in 2024, helping rally backing for him among Michigan’s influential Arab American community in Dearborn, hoping he could bring an end to the Gaza war.

Now, after Trump helped broker a ceasefire deal, Lukman says she feels vindicated — following months of backlash from neighbors angered by Trump’s strong support for Israel.

“It’s almost an ‘I told you so’ moment,” said Lukman, a Yemeni American. “No other president could have pushed Bibi (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) to agree to a ceasefire.”

Lukman and other Arab American Trump supporters who spoke to Reuters expressed cautious optimism about the newly announced deal but voiced fears that Israel might violate the truce, as it had done before in Gaza and Lebanon.

“We’re all holding our breath,” said Mike Hacham, a Lebanese American political consultant and Dearborn resident who campaigned vigorously for Trump in 2024. “I have to give credit where it’s due… but this isn’t a peace agreement. It’s merely the end of a bloody war — and nothing can bring back the lives lost on both sides.”

Cautious Hope Over Gaza, Lingering Distrust of Israel

Israeli airstrikes in Qatar and other Arab countries in recent months have deepened distrust toward Israel among Michigan’s more than 300,000 residents of Arab origin. Still, the ceasefire marks the most significant step toward ending the two-year-long conflict, which Palestinian health officials say has killed over 67,000 people in Gaza.

Beyond the ceasefire, the agreement includes the release of the last 20 of 250 hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 assault, which left more than 1,200 people dead, according to the Israeli government.

The deal comes after months of frustration among Arab Americans who felt Trump had failed to rein in Netanyahu and end the war. Many who supported Trump in Michigan last year told Reuters they were also disheartened by his renewed travel bans targeting several Muslim-majority countries and crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protesters that, they said, restricted free speech.

Several Arab American voters also expressed disappointment that their community’s support — thousands of votes that helped Trump win Michigan — had not translated into greater representation for Arabs and Muslims in senior positions within his administration.

It remains unclear whether the ceasefire will sway skeptical voters. Trump’s Republicans are expected to face stiff competition in next year’s Michigan congressional and gubernatorial races, as well as the 2028 presidential election.

Hacham said that while Trump might be hailed as a “priest of peace” for securing a Gaza truce, Arab American voters could quickly turn against him and other Republicans if the agreement collapses.

“We’re ready to leave the Republicans and go back to the Democrats,” he said. “We’ve shown Donald Trump that we have the power to swing either way.”

Gaza Anger Pushed Arab Americans Toward Trump

Trump won Michigan in 2024 by over 80,000 votes — reversing his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden by 154,000 votes. An Arab American Institute survey conducted in October 2024 found that 42% of Arab Americans nationwide supported Trump, compared to 41% for Kamala Harris — an 18-point drop from Biden’s 2020 advantage.

Lukman said that beyond anger over Gaza, Trump’s 2024 campaign also benefited from conservative concerns within the community about Democrats’ stance on transgender rights. She believes some of those voters may remain with the GOP — but others might not.

“Many Arab Americans voted for Trump out of resentment toward the Democrats,” Lukman said. “Their continued support for Republicans will depend on what happens in Gaza.”

“I don’t think he’s fully solidified his political base among Republicans yet,” she added. “But Trump’s pressure on Netanyahu could strengthen support for J.D. Vance in the next election and for other Republicans in the midterms.”

Imam Bilal Alzuhairi, who appeared with Trump and 22 other clerics on stage in Michigan just days before the 2024 election, said he once believed Trump offered the best chance for peace. But he noted that many Yemeni Americans became disillusioned after Trump reinstated travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority nations.

“Now a lot of people are upset and afraid for themselves and their families,” he said. “That travel ban created a deep sense of mistrust.”

After facing personal criticism for supporting Trump, Alzuhairi said he is stepping back from what he called “soul-draining” politics to focus on faith and family.

Trump Administration Moves to Ease Frustration

Special envoy Richard Grenell — a Michigan native appointed by Trump to reach out to Arab American and Muslim voters — returned to the Detroit area last month for his first in-person meeting with community leaders since November. His mission: to ease growing frustration and prevent Arab Americans from shifting back to the Democratic Party, as many did after Republican President George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.

At a Dearborn coffeehouse, Alzuhairi, Lukman, and others pressed Grenell on the travel ban and U.S. arms sales to Israel. In a separate session, they questioned the administration’s limited support for Christians in Iraq.

Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, told Reuters that such conversations were vital.

“I believe the Arab and Muslim communities in Michigan are key to winning the state,” he said. “I know these leaders well — they want access to decision-makers, and they deserve it.”

Despite tough questioning from Arab American leaders at four Detroit-area events, Grenell said he intends to stay engaged and emphasize Trump’s commitment to global peace.

“You can’t just show up right before an election and expect to be seen as a credible voice,” he said.

Ali Aljami, a 20-year-old Yemeni American who helped mobilize young Arab Americans through a viral video that drew nearly a million views on X, said Trump visited Dearborn twice during the 2024 campaign. His family runs four restaurants in the Detroit area.

“Trump made a lot of promises,” Aljami said. “Sure, he showed up — but it still feels like a mixed bag. Three years from now, we’ll see what he really does.”