Trump Makes Tacit Bid For Arab American Votes As He Attacks ‘Crazed Warhawk’ Liz Cheney For Backing Harris

Topline

Former President Donald Trump lashed out at Liz Cheney for joining Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail early Tuesday, as he attempted to paint the former Republican congresswoman as a war hawk while appearing to urge Arab American voters to back him.

Key Facts

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump mocked Harris, saying she has “stooped so low” by campaigning alongside Cheney who he labeled as a “Crazed Warhawk.”

Trump also wrote that the GOP Congresswoman’s father, Vice President Dick Cheney—who has also endorsed Harris—“convinced Bush to go into the Middle East and KILL.”

In what appears to be a tacit attempt to draw support from Arab Americans, Trump wrote “Now Kamala wants Arabs to vote for her? I don’t think so!”

This was the second time Trump attempted to draw attention from Arab-American voters who he claimed in a Monday post were “very upset” with Harris for campaigning alongside Cheney.

In the earlier post, Trump, without evidence, claimed the former Republican congresswoman “wants to go to War with every Muslim Country known to mankind,” and added, “If Kamala gets four more years, the Middle East will spend the next four decades going up in flames.”

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Key Background

Trump's attacks came hours after Cheney joined Harris for a series of town hall-style events across three key swing states. At these events, which are part of a Harris campaign bid to attract anti-Trump Republicans and undecided voters, Cheney urged people to back a president who “cares about the rule of law.” The former third-ranking House Republican warned that the January 6th Capitol attacks showed “what Donald Trump is willing to do” while describing Harris as someone her children “can look up to, someone who can be a role model.”

Big Number

2 points. That is the size of Trump’s lead over Harris in an Arab News-YouGov poll of Arab-American voters, conducted between Sept. 26 and Oct. 1. The pollster found that Trump led Harris 45% to 43%—with 4% backing Stein— as a result of anger towards the Democratic Party and Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza. Another poll of Arab Americans published earlier this month by the Arab Institute also found Trump and Harris effectively deadlocked 42% to 41%, although among likely voters, Trump led Harris 46% to 42%. This represents a major shift from 2020, with Harris running 18 points behind Biden in this demographic. Michigan’s large population of Arab Americans could play a key role in deciding the swing state which remains deadlocked in polls.

Crucial Quote

Speaking at a Harris campaign event in Michigan, Cheney attacked Trump saying: “If you look at where the Republican party is today, there’s been a really dangerous embrace of isolationism, a dangerous embrace of tyrants…He [Trump] heaps praise on the world’s most evil people, while he attacks with venom his political opponents here at home”

Further Reading

Harris is courting moderate Republicans. Liz Cheney is helping. (Politico)

Liz Cheney To Appear Alongside Kamala Harris At Campaign Event In Wisconsin Today (Forbes)