U.S. Muslim leaders who supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election have expressed discontent with his cabinet appointments, citing concerns over their pro-Israel stance amid the ongoing Gaza war.
Leaders say their support for Trump played a pivotal role in his swing state victories, including Michigan, but they are now disillusioned.
Rabiul Chowdhury, a Philadelphia-based investor and co-founder of Muslims for Trump, voiced his disappointment, stating, “Trump won because of us, and we’re not happy with his secretary of state pick and others.”
Trump’s selection of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State has drawn criticism due to Rubio’s staunch support for Israel. Rubio has previously opposed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, advocating for the total destruction of Hamas, which he described as “vicious animals.”
Additionally, Trump has nominated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, a vocal pro-Israel conservative, has opposed a two-state solution, labeling it “unworkable.”
Representative Elise Stefanik, known for her strong criticism of the United Nations’ stance on Gaza, has been chosen as Ambassador to the UN. Stefanik previously described the UN as a “cesspool of antisemitism” in response to its condemnation of civilian deaths in Gaza.
Rexhinaldo Nazarko, executive director of the American Muslim Engagement and Empowerment Network (AMEEN), said Muslim voters had hoped Trump would choose cabinet officials who work toward peace, and there was no sign of that.
“We are very disappointed,” he said.
“It seems like this administration has been packed entirely with neoconservatives and extremely pro-Israel, pro-war people, which is a failure on the on the side of President Trump, to the pro-peace and anti-war movement.”
The decisions have sparked a sense of betrayal among some Muslim leaders who backed Trump, as they feel sidelined in the administration’s policy decisions affecting the Middle East.
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