Two years ago, the Arab community in Dearborn, Michigan, bet on Donald Trump's promises to end wars and improve the economy, angry at Joe Biden's administration policies towards Gaza. But hopes faded in the face of rising tensions, new fronts, and the cost of living, as regret replaced confidence among several voters. However, with the midterm elections approaching, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed has become a symbol of new political hopes for some community members.
But after two years of Trump's presidency, frustration and regret replaced the hopes that accompanied that meeting. Albert Abbas, the Lebanese man who welcomed the American president, sold his business and distanced himself from politics, while the campaign posters that were placed on the streets of Dearborn at that time, which read: "For Peace, Vote for Trump," were cut down.
Today, the majority of Arab Americans who voted for Trump in 2024 feel regret and disappointment, saying they did not get what they expected. On the contrary, according to Mohammed Hassan Melhem (57 years old), a restaurant owner specializing in Arab dishes, "the international security situation has become more severe, coinciding with the American president opening a new war front with Iran, and the economic situation has become miserable for the majority of Americans."
"Trump did not fulfill his promises and the situation deteriorated"
"I say this without shame: I voted for Trump in 2024 because he made many promises to us, including ending the Gaza War, improving the economic and financial situation in America, and not deporting (legal) immigrants, but he did not keep his promises, and the situation has worsened," he added.
He continued: "In 2024, Arabs and Muslims voted for Trump because they hoped for good from him before the elections. There were even some who participated in his campaign here in Dearborn, but things have changed. Personally, I voted for Trump, but I regretted it, like the majority of Arabs here."
Regarding the midterm elections, Mohammed Hassan Melhem confirmed that he "will vote for whoever deserves the position and responsibility." When we asked him about his view of the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, he replied: "We know him well. He is a person who serves the Arab community in Michigan a lot, and we wish him all the best."
Mohammed Hassan Melhem is originally from Yemen. He arrived in the United States in 2014 and still follows the news in his country daily. He sees that the Yemeni people are living in a miserable social and economic state, and that Yemenis are displaced in their own country, due to the foreign policy adopted by Donald Trump and his circle throughout the Middle East.
Dearborn and its surroundings entered a kind of economic recession
He said: "Trump had promised to solve the Yemeni problem, but it has worsened." He added: "When I see what is happening in Yemen, I feel that our situation here, and that of all Americans in general, is much better," noting that "the change that may occur in the Senate after next Tuesday's elections will bring new hopes to Arabs in America."
Mohammed Hassan Melhem admitted that the financial situation of Arabs in Dearborn has been significantly affected since Trump came to power. He said in this regard: "It is true that purchasing power has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic. But prices have soared in the last two years. Previously, one hundred dollars was enough for two or three days of family necessities; today, I go to the market with one hundred and fifty dollars as if I haven't bought anything."
He continued: "Sometimes, when I pay for my purchases at the store, I think the cashier has made a mistake in the calculation. But I find out in the end that he did not make a mistake, and that the problem is not in the calculation, but that living costs have become unbearable."
Crazy rise in fuel prices due to wars
At the same time, fuel prices have risen dramatically due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the American-Israeli war on Iran. After the price of a gallon of diesel (about 3.7 liters) was less than three dollars, it rose to between six and seven dollars. Drivers and car owners attribute this to the "hostile policy" that Trump has pursued in the Middle East since he took office in January 2025.
For its part, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the unemployment rate in Dearborn and its vicinity, which had decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic and reached 3.6% in 2023, then rose to 4.5% in 2024, and to 5.0% during 2025. The percentage of unemployed has also risen in the Greater Dearborn area, according to the same bureau, which indicated that about one in four lives below the poverty line.
Abe Hamoud, an American lawyer of Lebanese descent and a former deputy prosecutor in Dearborn and Detroit, believes that Donald Trump is not a stranger to this situation, as he has, in his estimation, spent the past two years "supporting the rich and the big capitalists, while leaving the middle and poor classes to swim in a sea of problems, despite the promises he made to improve the situation of all Americans, including Arabs."
"Today Trump is with you, tomorrow against you"
He told France 24: "People were surprised and discovered that the American president's promises are fake, and that the high cost of living has become a characteristic of his rule. For example, every dollar I earn, I have to pay 40 cents in taxes. In Europe, taxes are used to develop infrastructure and improve transportation, but here in America, they go into the pockets of the rich, like Trump and his close associates."
When asked why Arabs voted for Trump, the lawyer replied: "Because there was a war going on (referring to the Gaza War), and people were looking for hope. But today the masks have fallen."
He continued: "In 2024, Trump said that Muslims are part of America, and he even came to Dearborn to meet them. But the world later discovered that the American president does not stick to his promises. The Muslim community in America sees what the world sees. Today Trump is with you, tomorrow against you. Besides closing the borders, he has begun to pursue even legal immigrants living in the country."
"There is great Arab enthusiasm for the Egyptian-American candidate Abdul El-Sayed"
After abstaining from voting in 2024, Abe Hamoud decided to participate in the midterm elections and give his vote to the Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, "because his success is very important for the Arab community in Michigan."
Trump's goal is "to sell more weapons to the world"
When we asked him if he thinks the Jewish community in Michigan (which makes up between 0.9% and 1.4% of the population, according to the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University, affiliated with the Steinhardt Institute for Social Research) will vote for Abdul El-Sayed, he replied: "90% of them are with the Democratic candidate. The Jewish community is not all with Netanyahu. They want peace and oppose extremism, but Donald Trump is a foolish man."
This lawyer believes that if the Democratic Party wins the midterm elections, its representatives will work to fight Trump's decisions and counter them, for example, by refusing to approve the U.S. budget or opposing the appointment of some senior judges. He added: "They will push him to change his policy towards the American people first and the world second."
For his part, Abdullah Mashrah (49 years old), an American of Yemeni descent, believes that Donald Trump has opened many war fronts in the Middle East since returning to power, with one goal only, which is "to sell more weapons to the world."
"They all promise, and they all lie"
This businessman, who voted for Trump in 2024, told France 24: "Former President Joe Biden abandoned everything and only cares about LGBTQ issues. As for Trump, he put everything aside to focus on wars, restoring the image of the United States and its place in the world, so that nations remain indebted to it and feel obligated to repay the favor."
He continued: "I voted for Trump in 2024 because of the LGBTQ issues. I am a person who is conservative about my identity and my religion. Biden was weak against Trump." He concluded by saying: "Today I regret it. They all promise, and they all lie."
Next Tuesday, Abdullah Mashrah decided to vote for Abdul El-Sayed because, according to him, "he will improve the health and economic situation in Michigan. More than that, he is Arab just like all of us in this city that has embraced us despite all the calamities."