Trump visits Arab-American community in Michigan in push for votes

Republican looks to garner the support in the swing state at a time when many are furious at Biden and Harris' support for Israel

Latest updates: Follow our full coverage on the US election

Donald Trump became the first presidential candidate to visit the city of Dearborn, Michigan, — home to the country's largest Arab-American population — as he continues his attempts to woo the community while Israel's wars in Gaza and Lebanon continue.

The Republican is trying to garner the support of the influential community in the swing state, with days left until election day on November 5.

Many Arab Americans have expressed frustration with the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running as the Democratic nominee, for its strong support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.

More than 100,000 registered Democrat voters in Michigan voted “uncommitted” during a party primary earlier this year to express discontent with Mr Biden before he ended his re-election bid.

Their discontent continued with Ms Harris as the new Democratic nominee at the convention and during campaign rallies. The "uncommitted" movement didn't endorse her for the election.

“You're going to have peace in the Middle East, and they should have peace in the Middle East,” Mr Trump said during a brief visit to The Great Commoner restaurant.

He added that he would do a much better job in dealing with the region's problems than the “clowns” currently leading the US.

The issue of Gaza has proven to possibly play a significant role in the outcome of the election.

More than 43,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks last year, local health officials say, and humanitarian conditions have severely deteriorated.

Asked about the conflict in Lebanon, Mr Trump said: "I know many people from Lebanon and we have to get this whole thing over with.”

More than 2,900 people in Lebanon have been killed amid Israeli military operations against Iranian-backed Hezbollah, Lebanon's Health Ministry has reported.

Mr Trump's daughter, Tiffany, is married to Lebanese-American businessman Michael Boulos, with whom she is expecting a child.

Dearborn's Mayor Abdullah Hammoud condemned Mr Trump's visit earlier on Friday, calling him the “architect of the Muslim ban”, a policy the former president enacted that blocked the entry of people from a number of Muslim-majority countries to the US.

“People in this community know what Trump stands for – we suffered through it for years. I’ve refused a sit down with him although the requests keep pouring in,” Mr Hammoud wrote in a post on X.

“Trump will never be my president.”

Mr Hammoud, a Democrat, briefly addressed his party in the post: “Your unwillingness to stop funding and enabling a genocide created the space for Trump to infiltrate our communities. Remember that.”

While Ms Harris has not visited Dearborn, her campaign has attempted to reach out to the Arab-American community multiple times. Ms Harris and other supporters, like former president Bill Clinton, have made stops in other parts of Michigan.