On Thursday, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, both Republican and Democratic, surprisingly united in their opposition to President Trump’s pick for ambassador to Kuwait, scrutinizing his alleged anti-Semitic remarks and positions.
Amer Ghalib, Trump’s nominee, has a problematic history regarding Israel and relations with Jewish communities, which has led even some of Trump’s staunchest supporters to question his suitability for the role of a U.S. representative in the Middle East.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) voiced his concerns during Ghalib’s confirmation hearing, stating that Ghalib’s views clearly contradict those of the president.
Cruz hinted that he might not support moving forward with Ghalib’s nomination, noting that another Republican would need to join the Democrats in order to block it from advancing.
The fact that Ghalib has a confirmation hearing is indicative of the committee’s continued progress, especially since few Republicans have opposed Trump’s nominees since his return to office earlier this year.
Interestingly, in a separate diplomatic meeting last month, Republican lawmakers rallied around Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, despite Trump’s past support for a Belgian convicted Holocaust denier on his social media platforms.
Ghalib, who previously made history as the first Muslim-American mayor of Hamtramck in Michigan, was appointed in May. After a private meeting with Trump, he endorsed him for the upcoming presidential election, which significantly legitimized Trump’s campaign among Muslim voters frustrated with the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
However, Ghalib has faced severe backlash for denying that Hamas engaged in sexual violence during the October 7, 2023 attacks. On social media, he liked a post that compared Jews to monkeys, which raised further concern. Additionally, he referred to the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as a martyr, while the Muslim Brotherhood endorsed the Houthi attacks on vessels tied to Israel as “inspiration.”
“Your local press reported in October 2023 that you called the allegations of sexual assault during the October 7 attack a ‘campaign of lies,’ stating there was no evidence to back those claims,” noted Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the committee’s ranking member.
She continued by highlighting that in a prior meeting, Ghalib did not deny making those comments. “Though I appreciate your honesty, you still stand by your belief that there’s no evidence of the reported assaults,” she added.
Ghalib has also been criticized for not denouncing a Hamtramck council member who supported a resolution backing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, which controversially suggested that the Holocaust was a necessary response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“Do you consider it appropriate to liken Israel—a democracy defending itself—to the Nazi regime, which exterminated six million Jews?” Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) questioned Ghalib.
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), a Gulf War veteran, posed a challenging question regarding Ghalib’s comments on Saddam Hussein’s martyrdom in light of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
Ghalib’s hearing was characterized by intense scrutiny from both parties, with additional questioning from Democrats such as Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.).
In his defense, Ghalib claimed he simply had a “bad habit” of liking posts on social media, not necessarily approving of the content. He also explained that his praise for Hussein stemmed from a moment of anger following an Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Iraq in 2020.
He stated, “In my anger, I acknowledged Saddam for keeping Iran in check; that’s probably the only positive I could say about him.” Ghalib also maintained that he did not have the authority to act against individuals at the city council who supported Holocaust celebrations or BDS resolutions.
As Republican concerns regarding Ghalib’s past continue to surface, it’s still uncertain whether they would ultimately vote against his nomination or simply use the opportunity to allow him to clarify his views.
“Do you concur with President Trump that Israel is, and should be, the homeland for Jewish people?” McCormick asked. Ghalib responded, “I support the president’s policies and trust in them.”
