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Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I Watched the Democrats Lose Muslim Support Last Election. This Gave Me Hope for 2026.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In late May, I joined roughly two dozen Muslim entrepreneurs, community leaders, nonprofit organizers, and student activists around a very large table for a closed‑door strategy meeting with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. There was no other press, no recording. Emgage Action, a leading Muslim American advocacy organization, welcomed me to observe on the condition that before I quoted anyone, I would first get their consent. We were there to discuss the role of Muslims in the Democratic Party. Many in the room had grown convinced that national Democratic leaders prefer the Muslims in their party to stay quiet and fall in line. In 2024 national party leaders all but ignored months of protests in support of Gaza, backed on-campus police crackdowns, then blamed 'disinformation' when Muslim and Arab American voters staged protest abstentions that helped tip Michigan, Minnesota, and key New Jersey counties to Donald Trump. Many in the room saw that sequence as Democrat leadership's agenda coming down to 'Please hold your nose,' and proof the party values Muslim turnout but not Muslim input. Baraka's counter‑thesis was simple: Fight for them, and they'll fight for you. It is the opposite of what Muslim organizers say they experienced from party leaders in 2024, the cycle Democrats lost to Donald Trump. When Baraka arrived in the room where we waited, it was just after 8 a.m. He was tieless, wearing a solid‑black dashiki, and he spoke softly at first, almost cautious. If anyone expected the fiery mayor who had dominated cable news earlier in the week—handcuffed by federal agents and hauled into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement jail—they found a calmer figure instead. Five days before this gathering, Baraka had joined three members of Congress at Delaney Hall, the recently reopened ICE detention center in Newark, the city he governs. They intended a surprise inspection. Video shows agents ordering them off the property; Baraka complied, stepping back onto the public sidewalk. They arrested him anyway. By that evening, supporters from civil‑rights and faith groups, including Muslim organizers, were rallying outside the detention center where he was being held. He was released that night; the trespass charge evaporated in court 10 days later. But even as the Department of Homeland Security dropped the charges against him, it brought new ones against Rep. LaMonica McIver, one of the lawmakers he had been with.* The whole thing had been a jarring experience, and Baraka has been blunt: 'It's just authoritarianism. … These people are committed to this foolishness. They're going to go as far as they can to not look completely ridiculous because what they did was wrong. They had no jurisdiction over there in the first place.' In that closed-door meeting, the questions posed to Baraka circled three themes: affordability, taxes, and Palestine. Two of those topics are par for the course, though the Newark mayor certainly has thoughts on them. On Palestine, Baraka had a real chance to differentiate himself from the rest of the Democratic party. When multiple attendees referenced student sanctions and job losses across industries in response to their stances on Gaza, Baraka replied that Muslims should be able to criticize U.S. or Israeli policy without being labeled unpatriotic or antisemitic. Throughout, he linked those answers to a wider critique of his own party. 'The leadership of the party has been pretty docile and comfortable and have completely isolated their base across the country.' His prescription was the opposite of caution. 'We can't move in a timid fashion. We have to move with force, with courage, with strength, and we have to move together.' The room nodded, but the primary electorate had a different answer when it came to the race for the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor. Two weeks later Baraka lost decisively to Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Navy pilot turned moderate whose campaign leaned on the county machines, saturated the suburbs with ads about property taxes, and avoided Gaza discourse almost entirely. Sherrill's pitch was electability: She promised to 'keep New Jersey blue' without scaring swing voters in Bergen and Monmouth. Baraka, who came in second, couldn't match her donor network and party support that still decides most downballot races. New Jersey is home to an estimated 320,000 Muslims, about 3.5 percent of residents. In 2021 Phil Murphy won reelection by roughly 85,000 votes. Despite those numbers, many of the Muslim community leaders I spoke to voiced their disapproval of how state and national strategists have long treated them as an afterthought—phoning in Eid greetings, skipping hard policy conversations, and assuming they'll continue to view the Democratic Party as their home regardless of outreach or collaboration. Baraka's strategy was different—he focused on reaching out to them. This, however, seemed to double as a flex to show the problem with complacency: If a bloc this large can be energized in an off-cycle primary, what could it do in a presidential year? Baraka spent one of his last days before the primary courting the population, and I tagged along. When I asked his main objective for the tour, he said he wanted to 'galvanize the Muslim community in New Jersey. If we do that, that will be good.' His theory was straightforward: turn a reliable but under-organized bloc into a decisive one and show national Democrats what they risk when they take that bloc for granted. Baraka's Muslim itinerary tracks almost perfectly with census clusters and past underperformance, like Paterson and North Brunswick. I followed Baraka north to Paterson, home to one of the nation's largest Palestinian communities. The visit was brief. He introduced himself as a candidate for governor in cafés on Main Street and took quick photos with voters. One man called out 'Barakah!'—pronouncing it like the Arabic word for 'blessing'—before snapping a selfie. Another passerby whispered, 'That's the guy Trump arrested.' Where party strategists in 2024 feared alienating moderates, Baraka has spent his state-wide campaign courting voters the party lost. Where operatives believed that Gaza activism endangered swing districts, Baraka has argued that silence costs more. Muslim organizers note that only a few statewide Democrats have held unrestricted Q&A's with them since last cycle. Baraka's willingness to do so anchors his appeal. Baraka's grassroots strategy lost—but it still netted 163,563 votes, enough to lift him surprisingly to second place and to carry New Jersey's most populous county, Essex. Those numbers didn't carry him past Sherrill, yet they did remind operatives that a bloc the size of New Jersey's Muslim population matters to the statewide margin. Now that the governor's race is over, Muslim leaders sound cautiously optimistic. They want movement—on surveillance reform, on ceasefire resolutions, on small-business aid—before they'll call this a realignment. But they also say the door is now open. If statewide Democrats walk through it before 2026, Baraka's unsuccessful bid could mark the start of a voter bloc returning to a party that once counted on it. If they don't, the silence of 2024 might echo again when the presidential race comes calling.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jordan's King Abdullah tells Trump his nation to accept 2,000 sick, displaced Palestinian kids
Feb. 11 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump met Tuesday with King Abdullah II as the Jordanian leader said his country will take in thousands of sick Palestinian kids displaced in the Gaza Strip. "We're going to take it, we're going to hold it, we're going to cherish it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of Gaza. "There's nothing to buy." The president, a former real estate developer, claimed that hotels or other new buildings in Gaza could bring stability to the troubled Middle East region. "We're going to run it very properly," he added. It arrived as Trump publicly floated the idea that Egypt and Jordan accept more than a million Palestinian refugees as the United States takes steps to "clean out" and redevelop the war-torn territory in a proposal that Jordan and its allied Arab nations have flat out rejected. "Arab nations and global leaders have been clear in their opposition to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the urgent need to rebuild Gaza so its people can live with dignity and security," Iman Awad, national director of policy and advocacy at the Muslim American advocacy group Emgage Action, told The Hill in a statement. Trump said Sunday that Palestinians would have "no right" to return because "they're going to have much better housing." On Monday, the king said he wanted a deal "that is best for everybody," adding that Trump's plans were "lofty" and that he hoped to hear from Egyptian officials soon on a proposal before Jordan commits to further action. However, he was noncommittal to Trump's controversial proposal and appeared to pick his words carefully. "One of the things we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible," Abdullah, 63, told the president. Trump, 78, previously hinted at withholding U.S. aid for Jordan and Egypt if they do not comply. He said he "didn't know that" Jordan would be taking sick children, calling the decision "really a beautiful gesture." Meanwhile, Trump suggested Tuesday that Israel terminate its cease-fire deal with Hamas and "let all hell break out" if the remaining hostages held in captivity in Gaza were not set free this week. "If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday in a video statement. "The ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is completely defeated," he continued.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's proposal for Gaza entangles Arab allies
President Trump's proposal to permanently resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip is complicating relationships with allies in the Arab world. His meeting Tuesday with Jordan's King Abdullah II stands to be an awkward moment as Trump continues to suggest Abdullah's country take in more Palestinians, who by some estimates already take up about half the population. But Trump's proposal has been met with steep opposition from the greater Arab world, who see Palestinian resettlement as a nonstarter, in addition to going against decades of U.S. foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'Arab nations and global leaders have been clear in their opposition to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the urgent need to rebuild Gaza so its people can live with dignity and security,' said Iman Awad, national director of policy and advocacy at Emgage Action, a Muslim American advocacy group, in a statement. 'In particular, we expect that the upcoming meeting with the Jordanian King will reinforce these concerns, underscoring the necessity of upholding international law and preventing the displacement of millions of Palestinians,' Awad added. Trump sent shockwaves through the Middle East last week when he proposed the United States would take control of the Gaza Strip and rebuild it. He since has offered some new details of his vision, including that U.S. troops would not get involved, while sending mixed messages about the fate of Palestinians. The president for weeks has said he would like to see Jordan, Egypt and other nations in the region take in Palestinians who would be relocated out of Gaza. While the White House has suggested the relocation would only be temporary while Gaza is rebuilt — something officials have said could take 10 years to 15 years — Trump has been less clear about the long-term plan for displaced Palestinians. 'It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn't want to return. Why would they want to return? The place has been hell,' Trump told reporters last week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Trump then told Fox News's Bret Baier during a pre-Super Bowl interview that Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza after it is rebuilt 'because they're going to have much better housing.' 'In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them because if they have to return now, it'll be years before you could ever — it's not habitable. It would be years before it could happen,' Trump said. But Trump's proposal has fallen flat with the Arab nations that would be key to making it happen. Leaders in the region have said efforts to displace Palestinians or move them into neighboring countries are a nonstarter. Egypt and Jordan — countries with peace treaties with Israel — oppose absorbing more Palestinians, claiming it poses a security risk, is destabilizing and threatens to provoke mass opposition. Jordan already houses about 3 million Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced by prior wars. Egypt announced Sunday it would host a summit of Arab nations on Feb. 27 to discuss the latest developments around the future of Palestinians, according to The Associated Press. Some experts have suggested Trump's proposal may be a negotiating tactic, just as he used the threat of tariffs against Mexico and Canada to secure commitments to protecting the border. But Trump administration officials have touted the president's proposal as an out-of-the-box suggestion to address a decades-long quagmire. 'Now is the time for the other governments and other powers in the region, some of these very rich countries, to basically say, OK, we'll do it. We're going to pay for this; we're going to step forward; we're going to be the ones that take charge,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday on SiriusXM. 'None of them is offering to do it,' he added. 'And I think that you can't go around claiming that you're a fighter for, an advocate for the Palestinian people, but you're not willing to do anything to help rebuild Gaza.' Rubio is set to travel to the Middle East later this week, with stops planned in Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Trump's controversial proposal will serve as the backdrop for a key meeting Tuesday, when the president hosts Jordan's king at the White House. While in Washington, Abdullah is set to meet with Trump, Rubio, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and members of Congress. Abdullah met Sunday with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment about what would be on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting, but the Gaza proposal is expected to be central to the visit. Abdullah met Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the day after Trump first floated the idea of the U.S. taking over Gaza. The Jordanian royal court posted on social media following that meeting that Abdullah 'stresses the need to put a stop to settlement expansion, expressing rejection of any attempts to annex land and displace the Palestinians.' A former National Security Council aide in the Biden White House argued Trump's comments about Gaza 'overshadow the meeting and start it out on a pretty rough note.' 'Driving a wedge with our allies especially in pursuit of goals that are unrealistic … and cause significant heartburn in the region for our allies, it just makes no sense,' the aide said. Alex Gangitano contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump's proposal for Gaza entangles Arab allies
President Trump's proposal to permanently resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip is complicating relationships with allies in the Arab world. His meeting Tuesday with Jordan's King Abdullah II stands to be an awkward moment as Trump continues to suggest Abdullah's country take in more Palestinians, who by some estimates already take up about half the population. But Trump's proposal has been met with steep opposition from the greater Arab world, who see Palestinian resettlement as a nonstarter, in addition to going against decades of U.S. foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'Arab nations and global leaders have been clear in their opposition to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the urgent need to rebuild Gaza so its people can live with dignity and security,' said Iman Awad, national director of policy and advocacy at Emgage Action, a Muslim American advocacy group, in a statement. 'In particular, we expect that the upcoming meeting with the Jordanian King will reinforce these concerns, underscoring the necessity of upholding international law and preventing the displacement of millions of Palestinians,' Awad added. Trump sent shockwaves through the Middle East last week when he proposed the United States would take control of the Gaza Strip and rebuild it. He since has offered some new details of his vision, including that U.S. troops would not get involved, while sending mixed messages about the fate of Palestinians. The president for weeks has said he would like to see Jordan, Egypt and other nations in the region take in Palestinians who would be relocated out of Gaza. While the White House has suggested the relocation would only be temporary while Gaza is rebuilt — something officials have said could take 10 years to 15 years — Trump has been less clear about the long-term plan for displaced Palestinians. 'It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn't want to return. Why would they want to return? The place has been hell,' Trump told reporters last week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Trump then told Fox News's Bret Baier during a pre-Super Bowl interview that Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza after it is rebuilt 'because they're going to have much better housing.' 'In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them because if they have to return now, it'll be years before you could ever — it's not habitable. It would be years before it could happen,' Trump said. But Trump's proposal has fallen flat with the Arab nations that would be key to making it happen. Leaders in the region have said efforts to displace Palestinians or move them into neighboring countries are a nonstarter. Egypt and Jordan — countries with peace treaties with Israel — oppose absorbing more Palestinians, claiming it poses a security risk, is destabilizing and threatens to provoke mass opposition. Jordan already houses about 3 million Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced by prior wars. Egypt announced Sunday it would host a summit of Arab nations on Feb. 27 to discuss the latest developments around the future of Palestinians, according to The Associated Press. Some experts have suggested Trump's proposal may be a negotiating tactic, just as he used the threat of tariffs against Mexico and Canada to secure commitments to protecting the border. But Trump administration officials have touted the president's proposal as an out-of-the-box suggestion to address a decades-long quagmire. 'Now is the time for the other governments and other powers in the region, some of these very rich countries, to basically say, OK, we'll do it. We're going to pay for this; we're going to step forward; we're going to be the ones that take charge,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday on SiriusXM. 'None of them is offering to do it,' he added. 'And I think that you can't go around claiming that you're a fighter for, an advocate for the Palestinian people, but you're not willing to do anything to help rebuild Gaza.' Rubio is set to travel to the Middle East later this week, with stops planned in Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Trump's controversial proposal will serve as the backdrop for a key meeting Tuesday, when the president hosts Jordan's king at the White House. While in Washington, Abdullah is set to meet with Trump, Rubio, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and members of Congress. Abdullah met Sunday with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment about what would be on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting, but the Gaza proposal is expected to be central to the visit. Abdullah met Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the day after Trump first floated the idea of the U.S. taking over Gaza. The Jordanian royal court posted on social media following that meeting that Abdullah 'stresses the need to put a stop to settlement expansion, expressing rejection of any attempts to annex land and displace the Palestinians.' A former National Security Council aide in the Biden White House argued Trump's comments about Gaza 'overshadow the meeting and start it out on a pretty rough note.' 'Driving a wedge with our allies especially in pursuit of goals that are unrealistic … and cause significant heartburn in the region for our allies, it just makes no sense,' the aide said.
