Republican campaigner claims 'amazing' support for Donald Trump among American Muslims

Former president appears to be winning over some minority voters as he prepares to address Republican National Convention in Milwaukee

Sajid Tarar’s voice quivers with emotion as he outlines what he sees as the erosion of America’s place on the world stage under President Joe Biden.

Whether it is the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine or the Israel-Gaza war, Mr Tarar, originally from Pakistan, blames Mr Biden for the main foreign policy crises.

“I 100 per cent agree, whatever is going on in the world right now is due to the Biden weak foreign policy,” he told The National at a hotel in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the Republican Party is this week holding its national convention.

“Let's start from the fall of Kabul. Then you go to Gaza, you go to Ukraine … frankly speaking, I definitely agree if Donald Trump was the president, we wouldn’t have these conflicts.”

Mr Tarar is an ardent Trump supporter and has backed the former president in three elections now. For years, he led the group American Muslims for Trump.

While not officially connected to the Trump campaign this election cycle, he said he still has close ties to the former president and his team.

In 2016, Mr Tarar addressed the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, delivering the benediction or prayer to close out the second day of the gathering.

“God bless America, God bless you, God bless Donald Trump and let's pray to get our country back,” Mr Tarar told the crowd.

Mr Trump has a long history of bombastic statements about Muslims and during his first term in office passed what has been called the "Muslim ban", an executive order preventing people from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

But none of that detracts from Mr Tarar’s affection for the former real-estate tycoon and TV show host.

“You cannot be against one religion,” Mr Tarar said. “Yes, he may be talking about certain radical elements out of it, which I’m against at the same time.

“If you don't agree with the American philosophy [that] this is a Christian country, you don't have any reason to be here to begin with.”

Mr Tarar said that eight years ago, it was hard for him to convince his fellow Muslims to support Mr Trump, but this time appears to be different.

“In 2016, it was very difficult but today, you won't imagine all of the Muslims due to the Gaza war, they are all supporting Donald Trump," he said.

"I am receiving calls from New York, blue states, I'm receiving calls from Muslims from Los Angeles. They want to hold rallies for Donald Trump. It's amazing.”

A recent New York Times/Siena Poll found that a majority of Muslim voters in six battleground states were planning to vote for Mr Trump.

And it is not only Muslims.

Jadip Singh leads the group Sikhs for Trump and is a member of the Trump Coalition Advisory Board.

“When I first started it in 2015, I was the only supporter,” Mr Singh said. “And I got a lot of negative feedback from the community for supporting President Trump.

"But over the years, people have realised that he's the sane voice in this political jungle that we have out there. And now we have a very large following.”

Mr Singh and Mr Tarar attended the convention together and each brought signs displaying their support for the former president, which they intend to carry with them to the convention floor.

They both immigrated to the US in the 1980s and feel like the country under Mr Biden is not the same one to which they moved more than three decades ago.

“We have to bring America up to what it was,” Mr Singh told The National.

On Saturday, Mr Trump narrowly escaped death when a 20-year-old gunman tried to assassinate him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

A bullet grazed his right ear leaving him bloodied, but unbowed. Mr Trump raised his fist in defiance and urged the crowd to “fight” before being whisked away by Secret Service agents.

Mr Tarar thought he was leaving political violence behind when he moved to the US.

“It makes me feel terrible, it makes me feel sad," he said. "It makes me almost feel like crying.

"I left all the corruption. I've left all of these things, murder, shooting and political victimisation. I left it there.”

But as the horror of political violence rears its head in the US, Mr Tarar’s admiration for Mr Trump has only grown.

Willy Lowry reported from Milwaukee, Wisconsin