Trump breaks GOP losing streak in nation's largest majority-Arab city with a pivotal final week

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Faced with two choices she didn't like, Suehaila Amen chose neither.

Instead, the longtime Democrat from the Arab American stronghold of Dearborn, Michigan, backed a third-party candidate for president, adding her voice to a remarkable turnaround that helped Donald Trump reclaim Michigan and the presidency.

In Dearborn, where nearly half of the 110,000 residents are of Arab descent, Vice President Kamala Harris received over 2,500 fewer votes than Trump, who became the first Republican presidential candidate since former President George W. Bush in 2000 to win the city. Harris also lost neighboring Dearborn Heights to Trump, who in his previous term as president banned travel from several mostly-Muslim countries.

Harris lost the presidential vote in two Detroit-area cities with large Arab American populations after months of warnings from local Democrats about the Biden-Harris administration’s unwavering support for Israel in the war in Gaza. Some said they backed Trump after he visited a few days before the election, mingling with customers and staff at a Lebanese-owned restaurant and reassuring people that he would find a way to end the violence in the Middle East.

Others, including Amen, were unable to persuade themselves to back the former president. She said many Arab Americans felt Harris got what she deserved but aren’t “jubilant about Trump.”

“Whether it’s Trump himself or the people who are around him, it does pose a great deal of concern for me,” Amen said. “But at the end of the day when you have two evils running, what are you left with?”

As it became clear late Tuesday into early Wednesday that Trump would not only win the presidency but likely prevail in Dearborn, the mood in metro Detroit’s Arab American communities was described by Dearborn City Council member Mustapha Hammoud as “somber.” And yet, he said, the result was “not surprising at all.”

The shift in Dearborn — where Trump received nearly 18,000 votes compared with Harris' 15,000 — marks a startling change from just four years ago when Joe Biden won in the city by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.

The results didn't come out of nowhere. For months, in phone calls and meetings with top Democratic officials, local leaders warned, in blunt terms, that Arab American voters would turn against them if the administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war didn’t change.

The Biden-Harris administration has remained a staunch ally of Israel since the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took over 200 hostages. The war between Israel and Hamas has killed more than 43,000 people in Gaza, Palestinian health officials say. They do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

While Harris softened her rhetoric on the war, she didn't propose concrete policies toward Israel or the war in Gaza that varied from the administration’s position. And even if she had, that might not have made much of a difference in places like Dearborn.

“All she had to do was stop the war in Lebanon and Gaza and she would receive everyone’s votes here,” said Hammoud.

More voters thought Trump would be better able to handle the situation in the Middle East than Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. About half of voters named Trump as better suited, compared with about a third who said Harris.

Among those who opposed more aid for Israel, 58% backed Harris in the presidential election; 39% supported Trump.

Even some Harris voters had their doubts. About three-quarters of Harris voters in Michigan said she was the better candidate to handle the situation. Few preferred Trump, but about 2 in 10 Harris voters said they were equivalent or neither would be better.

In the absence of support for Harris in the Arab American community, Trump and his allies stepped in.

A key part of Michigan’s electorate — a state Trump won by nearly 11,000 votes in 2016 before he lost it by nearly 154,000 to Biden in 2020 — Arab Americans spent months meeting with Trump allies, who encouraged community leaders to endorse him.

Things began to move in September, when Amer Ghalib, the Democratic Muslim mayor of the city of Hamtramck, endorsed Trump. Shortly afterwards, Trump visited a campaign office there.

That was a turning point, said Massad Boulos, who led Trump's outreach with Arab Americans. Boulos' son Michael is married to Trump's daughter Tiffany.

“They very, very much appreciated the president’s visit and the respect that they felt,” said Massad Boulos. “That was the first big achievement, so to speak. After that, I started getting endorsements from imams and Muslim leaders.”

While support for Harris had been declining for months — especially after her campaign did not allow a pro-Palestinian speaker to take the stage at August’s Democratic National Convention — some voters say the last week of the campaign was pivotal.

At an Oct. 30 rally in Michigan, former President Bill Clinton said Hamas uses civilians as shields and will “force you to kill civilians if you want to defend yourself.”

“Hamas did not care about a homeland for the Palestinians, they wanted to kill Israelis and make Israel uninhabitable," he said. "Well, I got news for them, they were there first, before their faith existed, they were there.”

The Harris campaign wanted Clinton to visit Dearborn to speak in the days following the rally, according to two people with direct knowledge of the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about them. The potential visit never materialized after backlash over Clinton’s comments.

“That comment was the talk of the town. It hurt many like me, who loved him,” said Amin Hashmi, who was born in Pakistan and lives in suburban Detroit. A self-proclaimed “die-hard Dem,” Hashmi said casting a ballot for Trump “was a seismic move” that came after he stood in the voting booth for 25 minutes.

On the Friday before the election, Trump visited The Great Commoner in Dearborn, a Lebanese-owned restaurant. That stood in sharp contrast with Harris, who met with Dearborn’s Democratic mayor, Abdullah Hammoud — who didn’t endorse in the race — but never came to Dearborn herself.

“He came up to Dearborn. He spoke with residents. Whether some people say it wasn’t genuine, he still made the effort. He did reach out and try to work with them, at least listen to them,” said Samia Hamid, a Dearborn resident.

Amen said that at polling places in Dearborn on Tuesday, “people were coming out and saying they were either voting third party or they were voting for Trump.” When she asked what led them to support Trump, “they said, at least he came out here and he talked to us, he acknowledged our community.”

Although Arab American support didn’t propel him to the White House, Trump has made several promises that stuck in voters' minds. Mainly, they'll be watching to see if he’ll follow through on his vow to end the war.

They also hope his next term will differ from his first, when he enacted the travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries. His rhetoric on that score has been mixed — he even pledged to expand the ban to refugees from Gaza.

Osama Siblani, publisher of Arab American News based in Dearborn, said people will “hold him accountable." Regardless, Siblani added, the community “survived the first four years” of Trump.

“We will survive the next four,” he said.

Cappelletti reported from Detroit. Associated Press journalist Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report.

An image of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump hangs in the window of a campaign office as a pedestrian passes by Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Adam Hameed, paints the exterior of a skin care center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The flag of Turkey hangs as workers take a break from the dinner shift at a Turkish restaurant Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A supporter of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump watches election results at an Arab Americans for Trump watch party at the Lava Java Cafe, a hookah lounge, in the early hours of Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Ameera Amad waves the Lebanese flag outside an American Muslims and Allies election night watch party Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Hamtramck High School polling site on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Dharmananda Mahaprabu Barua, a Buddhist monk and supporter of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, waves to Amer Ghalib, third from right, Hamtramck's Democratic Muslim mayor and fellow Trump supporter, as he drives through Hamtramck, Mich., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Posters for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris are seen outside a polling site as Dharmananda Mahaprabu Barua, right, a Buddhist monk and supporter of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, brings pizza to fellow Trump supporters campaigning, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A voter leaves a polling site after casting a ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Hassan Abdel Salam, left, with the Abandon Harris movement, hands out flyers asking people to vote for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein as they leave evening prayers at the Islamic Center of Detroit, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Detroit, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Members of the muslim community pray during morning prayers before the polls open on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the American Muslim Center in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Arif Armanjisan watches an advertisement for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at his campaign office the night before the general election Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Arif Armanjisan helps carry yard signs into a campaign office for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump the night before the general election Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Chelsey Salama, left, with the Abandon Harris movement, hands out a flyer to passing motorists encouraging them to vote for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Farah Khan, right, and Chelsey Salama, with the Abandon Harris movement, prepare fliers to hand out to pedestrians encouraging them to vote for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Farah Khan, right, co-chair of the Abandon Harris Michigan campaign, tries to convince pedestrians to vote for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Signs decorate a campaign office for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A sign hangs in the window as volunteers meet in the campaign office for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Hamtramck, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

An election official helps check in voters at Ford Community and Performing Arts Center on the last day of early in-person voting, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich., the nation's largest Arab-majority city. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

From left, Paul Manni, Sam Alasri, Wasel Yousaf, Waseem Makani and Abrahim Tamimi, cheer as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump's speech is broadcast during an Arab Americans for Trump watch party at the Lava Java Cafe, a hookah lounge, in the early hours of Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dearborn, Mich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

TURIN, Italy (AP) — U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe was fined a total of $120,000 — but will not be suspended — for cursing repeatedly at a chair umpire after losing a match at the Shanghai Masters last month.

The ATP said Thursday during its season-ending tournament in Italy that its fines committee handed Tiafoe a penalty of $60,000 for aggravated behavior on top of the maximum on-site fine of $60,000 he got for verbal abuse.

The 18th-ranked Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, could have faced a suspension but will not be barred from competing, the tour said.

During a minute-long tirade after bowing out 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) against 61st-ranked Roman Safiullin in the third round at Shanghai, Tiafoe sent about 10 expletives in the direction of official Jimmy Pinoargote.

Later, Tiafoe posted an apology on social media, calling his reaction “not acceptable behavior” and writing: “That is not who I am and not how I ever want to treat people. I let my frustration in the heat of the moment get the best of me and I’m extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation.”

Tiafoe was angered by being docked a first serve for a time violation at 5-5 in the closing tiebreaker.

Pinoargote ruled that Tiafoe was not making a genuine attempt to serve when he tossed the ball in the air at the baseline as the serve clock was set to expire. Tiafoe initially protested before continuing to play; he lost that point and the next to close the match.

Tiafoe congratulated Safiullin at the net before turning toward the umpire and shouting the first expletives. Tiafoe passed to the other side of the net toward his chair and said the umpire messed up the match.

Tiafoe made it to the semifinals at the U.S. Open in 2022, when he lost at that stage to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and got that far again this September before losing in five sets to fellow American Taylor Fritz.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

FILE - Frances Tiafoe waves to spectators after defeating Zhou Yi of China in the men's singles second round match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)