Senate Republicans cite the Hamtramck mayor’s past statements on Israel and Jews as reason for disqualification

WASHINGTON / HAMTRAMCK — Following a tense and combative hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the chances of Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, being confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Kuwait now appear extremely slim.

Several Republican members of the committee have announced their opposition to President Trump’s nominee, citing Ghalib’s alleged anti-Israel positions and what they called anti-Semitic remarks.

Republican senators unite against Ghalib

In the days following the October 23 hearing, four Republican senators publicly rejected Ghalib’s nomination — more than enough to block it. The Foreign Relations Committee currently consists of 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, with all Democrats reportedly expected to vote against Trump’s pick.

By Tuesday, the list of Republican opponents included:

• Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

• John Cornyn (R-Texas)

• Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania)

• John Curtis (R-Utah)

Their opposition effectively dooms Ghalib’s nomination, depriving him of the votes required to advance to the full Senate.

“Amer Ghalib is unqualified for the position,” Senator Cruz declared during the hearing, citing his “long-held hostility toward Israel” and views “at odds with President Trump’s Middle East policies.”

A spokesman for Senator Curtis said his office was “deeply concerned about Mr. Ghalib’s nomination.”

“Promoting peace in the Middle East begins with recognizing Israel’s right to exist. Mr. Ghalib has shown sympathy for beliefs that conflict with that goal.”

Ghalib reaffirms loyalty to Trump, vows to continue “political journey”

Returning to Michigan the following weekend, Ghalib told supporters that he remains committed to his nomination but is also “open to serving in any other position befitting me and this great country.”

In a Facebook post, Ghalib said Trump called him on the plane returning from Washington to Detroit, renewing his “support, loyalty and clarity.”

“We agreed to continue our political journey, whatever the obstacles,” Ghalib wrote. “I will keep serving this great nation in a way worthy of me and of its greatness.”

He recounted that fellow passengers in economy class were surprised to hear him speaking to “the president of the greatest country in the world from the back of the plane.”

“I remain the voice of my city’s people — the only ones who can tell me what to do,” Ghalib added. “We will continue fighting for our rights and the noble American values that some are assassinating before our eyes in cold blood.”

He concluded his message to Hamtramck residents:

“We will face hatred with love, deception with truth and ambiguity with transparency. We cannot change our past, but together we can reshape our future.”

Ghalib, who opted not to seek re-election as Hamtramck mayor in the November election in anticipation of the ambassadorship, was nominated by President Trump on March 24. More than seven months later, the nomination remains stalled amid pressure from pro-Israel lobbying groups.

Contentious hearing highlights past remarks

The heated hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is widely viewed as having sunk Ghalib’s chances. Senators pressed him about old Facebook posts and “likes” that critics say expressed anti-Semitism and sympathy for anti-Israel views.

He was accused of saying that Israel “deserved” the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, known as the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, and of previously praising the Muslim Brotherhood and Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein.

In response, Ghalib said he was willing to apologize to Kuwaitis for calling Saddam a “martyr.”

“He was a dictator who committed many crimes, including invading Kuwait,” Ghalib said. “If that term offended anyone, especially the Kuwaiti people, I am ready to apologize.”

He argued that his social media activity had been misinterpreted or mistranslated from Arabic and taken out of context.

When Senator Cruz confronted him about liking a comment that compared Jews to monkeys, Ghalib responded that it was a “bad habit” of his to click on posts without endorsing them.

Cruz countered that Ghalib’s “long-held public views” on Israel and the Middle East “conflict with U.S. policy”, citing his criticism of the Abraham Accords, his praise for Saddam Hussein and his admiration for the Muslim Brotherhood.

“You have the right to your own views,” Cruz said. “What I don’t understand is how you can represent President Trump as U.S. ambassador while opposing the Abraham Accords — the most significant diplomatic achievement of his presidency.”

Democrats also express concern

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), the committee’s top Democrat, said she had “serious concerns” about Ghalib’s previous comments regarding the October 7 Hamas attack, which she described as “lies and deception.”

Ghalib responded that he condemned “all atrocities and violations” committed on that day, calling it “tragic and horrifying.” He said his earlier remarks were reactions to false statements in President Biden’s speech claiming “beheaded children”, which Ghalib said he never saw evidence for.

He explained that some controversial posts predated his 2021 election as mayor, made when he was a “private citizen.”

“They were misinterpreted and taken out of context,” he said. “In a moment of anger, I praised Saddam because he contained Iran — maybe the only positive thing he ever did.”

Denies supporting boycott of Israel

Ghalib also distanced himself from the Hamtramck City Council’s 2023 resolution supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. He said the resolution, drafted by Jewish Voice for Peace, was not within his authority as mayor.

“As mayor, my role is mostly ceremonial,” Ghalib told Senator Cruz. “The Council passed the resolution unanimously. I neither supported it nor voted for it.”

Outlook

With bipartisan skepticism and explicit GOP opposition, Ghalib’s nomination appears effectively dead in committee. Yet his continued public defense of his record — and his reaffirmed alliance with Trump — signal that he may remain a visible figure in the president’s political orbit, potentially being considered for another role.