'We're not a cult': Arab Americans for Trump leader grilled over president's Gaza plan

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

February 8, 2025 8:49AM ET


The chair of the former "Arab Americans for Trump," which underwent a name change after Donald Trump declared he wanted to clear the Gaza Strip of Palestinians as part of a U.S. takeover, was forced to scramble on Saturday morning on CNN. Appearing with host Victor Blackwell, Bishara Bahbah grew aggravated when asked if he was lied to by Trump prior to the election only to be betrayed this past week during a press conference.

"The last time you were on, the name of your group was Arab Americans for Trump, you changed it this week after those announcements about Gaza. Do you no longer support the president?" Blackwell pressed his guest.

'Well, Arab Americans for Trump was created to help President Trump win the election," Bahbah replied. "We wanted an end to the war in Gaza, primarily, and the president also promised us a lasting peace in the Middle East that is satisfactory to all parties. Based on those two promises, we lent our the president our vote. Now, when he started suggesting that relocating Gazans, which is against international law, against Palestinian interests, against the continuity of a Palestinian state between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, we could not come out with a statement under the title of Arab Americans for Trump. First of all, we're not a cult. Secondly, we want peace. We started supporting the president because we wanted peace and as a result, we changed the name."

"So you say that the president told you in your response to saying that you're in this for a two-state solution 100%? Do you think the president lied to you?" Blackwell asked. "You know, it remains to be seen," Bahbah deflected. "We're three weeks into this game, and a lot of things have been happening as you mentioned on your show and I believe that the president wants a legacy of peace.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-gaza-2671119386/

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[MarineCombatEngineer]

1. I'm sorry,

but words fail me on the stupidity spewing out of his pie hole.

[delisen]

2. He thought he was a player, but he was being played.

The arrogance of these men who are so easily conned and now cannot even stand up to the conman who has left him with no power and no self respect.

[ananda]

3. "I'm not a crook"

Lol

[iemanja]

4. I feel badly for Gazans

but not for the people who vote for Trump.

[Norrrm]

5. You got what you wanted... Trump in the WH.

[Intractable]

6. He thinks that after Gaza is rebuilt, Trump and Bibi will let the relocated Palestinians back in.

He's hoping, but desperately scared that voting for Trump was the worst choice he ever made.

[B.See]

40. Relocation? Trump meant

RESETTLEMENT didn't he?

It all has a familiar ring to it.

[rampartd]

7. "i took trump at his word"

what is wrong with these people?

[Bengus81]

13. Lines from Animal House seem appropriate here...You fucked up,you trusted us. Hey...make the best of it!

[rampartd]

15. the dean said it best

[SunSeeker]

9. Now they call themselves "Arab Americans for Peace." Good luck with that.

Fucking morons believed Trump.

[Mike 03]

24. As far as I'm concerned, they're stuck with "Arab Americans for Trump"!

EDIT they're, not their. Sorry, it's early.

[Shoonra]

10. What's the new name?

The report says that Arab-Americans for Trump has recently changed its name.
What's the new name??

[BumRushDaShow]

12. "Arab Americans for Peace"

[magicarpet]

18. Arab AmeriKKKans for Vance.....

[Prairie Gates]

11. "We're only three weeks into this game..."

Yeah, buddy. That's the problem.

[mcar]

14. Dude can't possibly be that stupid

[Paladin]

33. Oh, SURE he can!

To hell with him and his creepy, trump-sucking cult.

[SergeStorms]

16. Cults always believe their leaders.

Why anyone would believe a single word coming out of Trump's foul mouth is beyond me. That they did believe Trump pretty much seals the deal of them being a cult, at least in my book.

[William Seger]

22. That's one of the rules: the leader brings Revealed Truth

[LisaM]

17. Did he really think Biden didn't want peace?

That piece of this infuriating puzzle really floors me.

[yardwork]

32. That's the tell.

They knew Trump was palling around with Netanyahu. They knew Trump was close friends with Israel during his first term.

There's more to the story. Got to be.

It reminds me of the state legislators who flipped from Democrats to Republicans. We had one in NC whose flip - right after her election in a safe Democratic district - handed the state legislature a veto-proof super majority. Just in time to re-gerrymander the state and eliminate five (I think it was five) safe Democratic congressional districts. That's the loss of the Democratic majority in the House right there!

Think about the power wielded by one person switching parties - it caused the Republican majority in the House just as Trump took over.

That kind of power is worth a lot of bribes.

I remember the words of the "Arab Americans for Trump" - "We want you (the Democratic Party) to know it was us." Somebody got paid a LOT of money to help Trump win.

[tclambert]

19. Is it wrong when I smile at all these stories of Trump supporters FINDING OUT?

In the end, though, "I told you so" is such cold comfort.

[republianmushroom]

35. Nope, sometimes I even laugh out loud.

[LeftInTX]

20. "We have the leverage over the political system."

So without our support, the Republicans will not be able to hold Congress. So we have the leverage over the political system. With our votes to make sure that the president's agenda continues on.

That's all it has ever been about.

[William Seger]

21. Yeah, he wants a "legacy of peace," right after we take the Canal and Greenland

... and maybe Musk gets a pick, too.

[B.See]

41. ... for starters.

[Mike 03]

23. Well, we'll just keep calling you Arab Americans for Trump

if that's all right with you.

[taxi]

25. The group thought they had it all figured out. The problem was they did not consider all the options.

A total elimination of Palestinians from Gaza brought peace to Gaza. Peace for the Israelis there. And any Palestinian wealthy enough to live in the new neighborhood is more than welcome, proviso they do as they're told, keep their mouths shut, and feed an occasional leopard.

[tanyev]

26. "We're not a cult--we just like authoritarianism and hoped Trump would be OUR authoritarian."

[Irish_Dem]

27. They helped with the current Nazi coup.

[Vinca]

28. Well, Trump's going to end the war in Gaza alright. He's going to bulldoze whatever is left of it into the

sea and put up Trump Gaza, a bunch of condos and a huge golf course for his wealthy Arab buddies. Palestinians? What's a Palestinian? In a million years I will never understand how people are suckered into believing Trump.

[Bengus81]

29. Meaning....they are STILL 100% for Trump. Yeah idiot....your still part of a CULT

A name change doesn't change anything.

[Seinan Sensei]

30. "There's really no such thing as a Palestinian," says Ambassador to Israel (former Gov.) Mike Huckabee

A mighty convenient point-of-view for those who wish to remove Palestinians from Gaza.

[yardwork]

31. Bahbah claims they believed obvious lies.

Either he's incredibly stupid - and I doubt he is - or there's more to it.

[NickB79]

34. Gaza was merely a smokescreen to hide their anti-woman, anti-gay proclivities

Most of them don't give a fuck about Gaza, but they sure as hell want to make sure they aren't told what to do by a woman, or let gay people live their lives without persecution.

[Shoonra]

36. The real results of Trump's plan

Trump's plan to expel the Palestinians from Gaza and have the US take it over and turn it into "the Riviera of the Middle East" conceals the real outcome of his plan.

First, the notion that a few million Palestinians are going to find an entirely new homeland is bogus. Other Arab countries were not hospitable to the Palestinians and kept them in "Refugee Camps" living in tents. The West Bank Palestine Authority is already jam-packed and cannot absorb the Gazan population. European countries have complained about Arabs settled in their own territory and causing trouble. Trump promises that this imaginary new homeland will be so nice that the Palestinians will not want to leave it - - not even to return to their ancestral country which has become a Riviera.

Second, Trump has said that the US will spend nothing to rebuild Gaza, not even to rebuild it as a Riviera; even I see this as more fakery.
What is far more likely than the Riviera is that, if the US gets the Gaza Strip, it will become a US military base. Trump can call Gaza the 51st State but it will be an Army base and a Navy port and not a vacation getaway or a retirement paradise.

In the meantime, the US will bear the brunt of international hostility for expelling the Gazans from Gaza, so that US military base in Gaza can expect all sorts of problems.

[maxrandb]

37. It's NOT a fucking game you moron!

You made a deal with the devil. Next time you see Donnie Dipshit, you better have your "papers" in order.

[sakabatou]

38. He was warned about the face-eating leopards, right?

[Quanto Magnus]

39. If you support Trump

you are in a cult....

Can't handle it, then be honest with yourself.

[dalton99a]

42. Fuckers joined his cult

[B.See]

43. the disease of perpetual delusion 2 (illustrated) :

....riiiiiiiiiiiight.....

[Oopsie Daisy]

44. In response to their "Enjoy Trump" chants... I hope they "Enjoy the new Trump Hotels & Casinos"

I'm sure it will be quite a sight to see!