Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-American businessman and father-in-law to Tiffany Trump, is making strides to secure Arab American votes in Michigan for Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
According to the Associated Press, Boulos faces a complicated task largely due to Trump’s prior policies and statements that many in the Arab American community find offensive.
Boulos, who is multilingual in Arabic, English, and French, moved to Texas during his teenage years and earned a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the University of Houston. He is the CEO of SCOA Nigeria, a company dealing with the assembly and distribution of motor vehicles and equipment. Additionally, Boulos has a political background with an unsuccessful parliamentary run in Lebanon in 2009.
His connection to Trump has grown notably since the two met in person at the White House Christmas event in 2019. This connection intensified following the marriage of Boulos's son, Michael, to Tiffany Trump in 2022. Recently, Boulos's involvement in Trump's campaign efforts has become more significant, partly due to increasing dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden among Arab Americans.
Arab-American discontentment primarily stems from Biden's support for Israel, highlighted during the recent Gaza offensive. Brian Hughes, an ally in Trump’s campaign, asserted that Biden’s Middle East policies have resulted in chaos and loss of life, causing many Democrats to vote 'uncommitted' in Michigan’s primary.
Boulos has been actively meeting with members of Michigan’s Arab American community, having already connected with nearly 50 individuals. His efforts, however, have faced skepticism.
Osama Siblani, an influential Arab American, emphasized that mere ethnic connection is insufficient to win over voters. He stated, “You can’t just buy votes. You have to give something substantial to the community. And Trump hasn’t done that yet.”
Concerns persist regarding Trump’s track record with Arab and Muslim communities. Statements and policies from his previous term have left a lasting impression of distrust. Prominent figures within the community view Trump’s campaign as being racially insensitive and Islamophobic.
Boulos, however, is attempting to bridge the gap by stressing Trump’s respect and admiration for the Arab American community. He referenced Trump’s social media promise on June 4 to bring peace to the Middle East if reelected. Despite these efforts, critics like Ammar Moussa argue that Trump remains a significant threat to the Muslim and Arab American communities, citing openly hostile rhetoric and policy decisions.
Even among those who are critical of Biden, there’s a noted hesitation to support Trump. Khaled Saffuri, bringing attention to this dissatisfaction, noted that alternative candidates like Jill Stein from the Green Party are also being considered. Saffuri pointed out that many in the community do not view Trump’s foreign policy accomplishments, such as the Abraham Accords, as genuine peace agreements.
Bishara Bahbah encapsulated the sentiment among many voters, saying, “One less vote for Biden is a vote for Trump.” This underscores the complex dynamics facing the Arab American electorate, caught between dissatisfaction with Biden and distrust of Trump.
In his outreach, Boulos is left with the delicate task of persuading a community that feels undervalued and stigmatized. Siblani reflected this sentiment, urging for more substantial policy commitments from Trump’s campaign. “What we need is policy and what Trump will do,” Siblani stated, pressing for a clear and beneficial agenda to be offered to the community.
Despite the uphill battle, Boulos remains engaged, hoping to shift some of the sentiment prevailing in Michigan’s Arab American community. Whether his efforts will bear fruit remains to be seen as the 2024 election campaigns ramp up. Massad Boulos’s initiative to connect with the Arab American community underscores a broader strategy by Trump’s allies to chip away at Biden’s support base. With Trump’s contentious history and Biden’s current policies adding to the challenge, Boulos’s involvement marks a unique approach in the evolving political landscape.
