LANSING, Mich. (AP) 鈥 A group that played a key role in Donald Trump鈥檚 voter outreach to the Arab American community alongside his allies is rebranding itself after the president said that the U.S. would 鈥渢ake over鈥 the Gaza Strip.
Bishara Bahbah, chairman of the group formerly known as Arab Americans for Trump, said during a phone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that the group would now be called Arab Americans for Peace.
The name change came after Trump alongside Israeli Prime Minister at the White House and proposed the U.S. take 鈥渙wnership鈥 in redeveloping the area into 鈥渢he Riviera of the Middle East.鈥
鈥淭he talk about what the president wants to do with Gaza, obviously we鈥檙e completely opposed to the idea of the transfer of Palestinians from anywhere in Historic Palestine,鈥 Bahbah said. 鈥淎nd so we did not want to be behind the curve in terms of pushing for peace, because that has been our objective from the very beginning.鈥
Arab Americans for helped lead voter outreach efforts for Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election in swing states such as Michigan and Arizona.
The group, independent from the Trump campaign, frequently facilitated meetings between Arab American community leaders and Trump鈥檚 allies, including Richard Grenell, now serving as Trump鈥檚 envoy for special missions, and Massad Boulos, the father-in-law of Trump鈥檚 daughter Tiffany and now on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.
In the 2024 election, Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Dearborn, Michigan 鈥 home to the nation's largest concentration of Arab Americans 鈥 since 2000 on his way to winning the state. Trump visited Dearborn on Nov. 1.
Bahbah said the group had been thinking about changing its name for 鈥渁 while鈥 and ultimately made the decision Tuesday. But Bahbah had said during a phone interview just prior to Trump's Tuesday night press conference with Netanyahu that the group's name was Arab Americans for Trump.
In a press release issued Wednesday by Arab Americans for Peace, the group said its members 鈥渁ppreciate the president's offer to clean and rebuild Gaza鈥 but 鈥渢ake issue with the president's suggestion of taking over Gaza and removing its Palestinian inhabitants.鈥
