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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced after a contentious nomination listening to Thursday that he wouldn’t help the Trump administration’s choose for ambassador to Kuwait.
Amongst different areas of concern, Cruz expressed alarm over Amer Ghalib’s refusal to outright condemn the Muslim Brotherhood and its actions — a bunch that Cruz believes works towards the geopolitical pursuits of the USA.
“The Muslim Brotherhood is a world terrorist group,” Cruz mentioned in a submit on X. “Amer Ghalib refers to them as an inspiration. That’s in opposition to President Trump and is disqualifying. I can’t help his affirmation for the Ambassador to Kuwait.”
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Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters on his method to the Senate weekly coverage luncheons on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 6, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Pictures)
Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Mich., sparred with Cruz and different members of the Senate earlier that day, clashing with a number of lawmakers over points like the USA’ relationship with Israel, feedback he had made concerning the conflict in Gaza, and extra.
In response to the Division of State, Ghalib was born and raised in Yemen earlier than coming to the USA at age 17. After working full-time in an auto components manufacturing unit, he attended the Ross College Faculty of Medication from 2006-2011 and went on to work as a healthcare skilled on the Hamtramck Medical Group till his entry into politics. Ghalib made information when he was elected as mayor in 2021, turning into the primary Muslim to fill the position. In that capability, he endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2023.
“Mr. Ghalib’s journey started as a farmer in Yemen, then as an autoworker in the USA, a healthcare skilled, after which as an elected mayor of his metropolis. His multicultural expertise, deep regional information and demonstrated success as a politician, chief and neighborhood organizer, make him a well-qualified candidate to function U.S. Ambassador to the State of Kuwait,” the State Division wrote in its abstract of the administration’s nominee.
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Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib, 43, is photographed in his workplace at Metropolis Corridor in Hamtramck, Mich., Sept. 10, 2023. (Salwan Georges/Getty Pictures)
On Thursday, when requested by Cruz if he nonetheless thought of Saddam Hussein, the previous president of Iraq, a martyr, Ghalib initially skirted the query.
“I used to be a personal citizen in 2020,” Ghalib answered, referring to the timing of a social media submit when he had on condition that description.
“I’m simply asking your views. I requested you about immediately. Do you proceed to consider that Saddam Hussein is a martyr immediately?” Cruz requested once more.
“I don’t suppose that — there’s little doubt that Saddam was a dictator. I imply, I can say no. It wouldn’t matter. He’s in God’s arms; he’s going to get the therapy he deserves,” Ghalib mentioned.
Hussein served as president from 1979 till his authorities was overthrown within the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. Within the aftermath, an Iraqi tribunal discovered him responsible of willful killing, unlawful imprisonment, deportation and torture, amongst different abuses. He was hanged on Dec. 30, 2006.
Ghalib and the Hamtramck Metropolis Council entered the highlight in 2024 when the town voted unanimously to approve a decision that, in response to the conflict in Gaza, required the town to keep away from investing in Israeli firms. Citing that decision, Cruz and different senators expressed reservations that Ghalib would be capable to faithfully perform positions held by the administration — particularly if it had been to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group or different coverage points that might battle with Ghalib’s private views on the Center East.
These hesitations stretched throughout the aisle.
“You favored a Fb remark evaluating Jews to monkeys,” Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., mentioned. “You characterised leaders you don’t like as turning into ‘Jewish.’ As mayor, you did not remark after one in every of your political appointees known as the Holocaust ‘advance punishment’ for the Warfare in Gaza and also you denied that Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of conflict on Oct. 7.”
Ghalib didn’t deny authoring the posts. As an alternative, he defended himself by arguing that his feedback had been taken out of context or that lawmakers had selectively misconstrued his actions. In response to Rosen’s remarks about liking a submit evaluating Jewish folks to monkeys, Ghalib mentioned that he had made it a apply to work together with all social media feedback left on his web page as a type of acknowledgment. He mentioned these views didn’t replicate his positions.
“I believe quite a lot of my posts had been written in Arabic and mistranslated,” Ghalib mentioned in response to additional questioning about a few of the posts he had made himself.
The State Division and Ghalib’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib listens at a marketing campaign workplace in Hamtramck, Mich., Oct. 18, 2024. (Evan Vucci/AP Picture)
Rosen and different senators didn’t appear moved by Ghalib’s explanations.
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“That’s past the pale. I cannot be supporting your nomination,” Rosen mentioned. “And if you’re confirmed — I would like you to recollect this, sir: you’ll be an envoy for the USA of America. And thus, as ambassador, we should present respect to everybody. We will likely be watching to see if that occurs.”
No date has been set for a remaining vote on Ghalib’s nomination.
