October 31st 2024.
According to a local business owner, Donald Trump is planning to visit Dearborn, Michigan on Friday. This city happens to be the largest Arab-majority city in the nation. However, before agreeing to host the former president, the business owner requested that he first call for peace in Lebanon. Dearborn, located in Metro Detroit, is home to a large concentration of Arab Americans. In fact, President Joe Biden won the city with a significant margin. However, there has been political turmoil in the city, with many expressing dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
While Vice President Kamala Harris has been working through surrogates to ease tensions in the community, Trump's upcoming visit will be the first by either candidate. This information was confirmed by local leader Osama Siblani. Earlier this year, Harris met with the city's Democratic mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, but the discussion took place outside of Dearborn. According to Sam Abbas, the owner of The Great Commoner in Dearborn, Trump is set to visit his restaurant.
Abbas stated that they are expecting remarks from Trump about ending the war and bringing peace to the Middle East. He clarified that he is not taking a political stance or telling people how to vote, but simply wants to end the violence and bombing that is affecting his family and community. The war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, and last month, Israel also invaded Lebanon to suppress Hezbollah, a militia group that has been launching rockets into Israeli territory. As a result, thousands of people have lost their lives, and the situation is dire.
The Trump campaign declined to comment on the visit, but it comes after his rally in Michigan last week, where he brought local Muslims on stage with him. Additionally, Trump has received endorsements from two Democratic mayors of Muslim-majority cities. However, while some Democratic leaders in the community have not endorsed Harris, they still hold negative opinions about Trump and his past statements and actions towards Muslims. They also fear that his endorsements may influence traditionally loyal voters to switch sides or not vote at all, which could have a significant impact in the upcoming election.
Abbas revealed that Trump's allies had contacted him several weeks ago about hosting an event in Dearborn. However, he wanted to see a statement from Trump first, showing his intentions to end the war and help rebuild Lebanon. This statement was released on Wednesday, where Trump expressed his desire to "stop the suffering and destruction in Lebanon" and preserve equal partnerships among all Lebanese communities. Once Abbas saw this statement, he agreed to host the event, which is expected to have around 100 attendees from the community.
"He's coming to us to basically tell us, look, I did what you guys asked. My intentions, my true intentions are to bring peace and to end the war," said Abbas. In conclusion, Trump's visit to Dearborn has sparked a mix of reactions and feelings within the Arab American community. While some are hopeful for a positive outcome, others remain skeptical and cautious. Only time will tell how this visit will impact the community and the upcoming election.
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