On October 23, 2025, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee convened a heated confirmation hearing for Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, and President Donald Trump’s controversial nominee for ambassador to Kuwait. Ghalib, whose nomination has drawn fire from both sides of the political aisle, faced a barrage of pointed questions about his past antisemitic remarks, social media activity, and public statements on Middle East conflicts. The hearing, delayed since September due to mounting criticism from organizations combatting antisemitism—including the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee—quickly became a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the boundaries of free speech, public accountability, and the diplomatic values the United States projects abroad.
Ghalib’s record, scrutinized by senators from both parties, includes a litany of statements and actions that have raised serious concerns. According to Jewish Insider, committee members pressed Ghalib about his denial of the scope of sexual violence during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, as well as comments that appeared to justify Palestinian violence against Israel. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the committee’s ranking Democrat, set the tone early, telling Ghalib, “I have grave concerns about some of the statements that you have made, particularly those that seem to justify the October 7th attack against Israel.”
Shaheen cited reporting from Ghalib’s hometown newspaper, The Hamtramck Review, which recounted his remarks at a 2023 pro-Palestinian rally. There, Ghalib allegedly “justified Palestinian violence against Israel for its brutality against Palestinians, and denied that sexual violence happened against Israelis when Hamas militants invaded Israel on Oct. 7.” When pressed, Ghalib insisted, “I totally condemn what happened on October 7th,” but also argued that some of his statements had been taken out of context and mistranslated by a biased media.
Senators from both parties, however, remained deeply skeptical. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made his opposition clear, stating, “I believe your beliefs are sincere. I believe that when you became the mayor of the first city in America to pass a BDS resolution, it’s because you believe in BDS. What I do not understand is how you could possibly serve as United States ambassador for President Trump in the Middle East when you have passionate views, including having been a vocal opponent of the Abraham Accords, the singular and most consequential accomplishment President Trump has negotiated.” Cruz concluded, “Your long-standing views are directly contrary to the views and positions of President Trump and to the position of the United States. I, for one, am not going to be able to support your confirmation.”
Other senators, including Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), pressed Ghalib repeatedly on whether he supports Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland. After being asked multiple times, Ghalib responded, “I believe it can be a home for the Jewish and the Arabs and the Muslims and the Christians as well. And that’s why it’s a diverse land for the three major religions,” notably avoiding a direct reference to Israel by name.
Ghalib’s social media activity came under intense scrutiny. He was questioned about liking a Facebook comment that referred to Jews as “monkeys.” Ghalib described his tendency to like every comment under his posts as a “bad habit,” and sought to distance himself from the content, claiming many controversial posts were made before he was elected mayor in 2021. Senators also cited a post in which Ghalib called Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator who invaded Kuwait, a “martyr.” Ghalib explained that he made the post “in a moment of anger” after Iran launched missile strikes at U.S. troops in Iraq in 2020, following the killing of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani. “I complimented Saddam because he kept Iran in check, and probably that’s the only positive thing he did in his life,” Ghalib said.
Throughout the hearing, Ghalib sought to draw a distinction between his personal beliefs and how he would serve as ambassador. “I’m a Semite. The Arabs are Semites. Do we read history? How can we be antisemites? And I think, like I said, judge my actions and not my intentions,” he argued. Nevertheless, senators from both parties were unconvinced that his personal views could be separated from his official conduct. “This idea that your personal views don’t matter is ridiculous,” Murphy told him bluntly.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) challenged Ghalib on social media posts that appeared to support the November 2023 hijacking of the British-owned Galaxy Leader cargo ship by Houthi militants. Ghalib denied celebrating the attack, saying, “I don’t think it’s a celebration. This is an assumption that [you’re] making. I disagree with attacking the ships and disrupting. I think there was a post, but it seems like it’s taken out of context. Maybe I commented, I don’t know.”
Ghalib’s past praise for the Muslim Brotherhood also drew criticism. In 2020, he called the group “an inspiration” in a social media post. When asked if this would be a conflict if the Trump administration were to designate the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, Ghalib replied, “I believe that it’s an ideology. It’s not just a group of people. I disagree with a lot of things that they do. Some of them are extremists. Some of them are part of some governments in the Middle East.” He nevertheless pledged to follow the president’s policies if confirmed.
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a co-chair of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, delivered a scathing rebuke: “As an elected official, you had a responsibility to work with your constituents to eliminate hatred from communities, all hatred from communities, but instead, you chose to inflame divisions and traffic in antisemitism. You liked a Facebook comment comparing Jews to monkeys. You characterize leaders you don’t like as ‘becoming Jewish.’ As mayor, you failed to comment after one of your political appointees suggested the Holocaust was ‘advance punishment’ for the war in Gaza, and you denied the Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war on Oct. 7.”
Despite the mounting criticism, Ghalib has maintained the backing of President Trump. According to Michigan Advance, Trump personally called Ghalib earlier in October to reaffirm his support, thanking the Hamtramck community for their backing. Ghalib, a Democrat and immigrant from Yemen who endorsed Trump in 2024 and campaigned with him in Michigan, is the third Michigander appointed to a Middle East diplomatic post by the Trump administration this year.
Yet, as of October 23, the White House had not commented on the status of Ghalib’s nomination, and with senators from both parties indicating their opposition, his confirmation faces an uncertain—and likely protracted—path forward. The committee must still vote on whether to advance his nomination to the full Senate, a process that could stretch on for weeks or months.
In the end, the fierce debate over Ghalib’s nomination has underscored the complexities and sensitivities of American diplomacy in the Middle East, as well as the heightened scrutiny that comes with representing the United States on the world stage.
