35% of them voted for him

Why did some Muslim voters side with Trump

• Some Muslim voters have not given up on Trump.

  Reuters

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Despite the US president's anti-Muslim policies, the margin between Trump and Biden, among Muslim voters, was narrower than experts had expected.

Dr. Khalid Khan, a devout Muslim internist, from Houston, voted for Trump.

“When you eat a plate, you might not like all of its ingredients,” Khan said.

But you love the whole dish. ”He continued:“ We must take the good and leave the bad, ”comparing the US President to a meal.

Trump has spent most of his presidency pushing anti-Muslim policies.

The travel ban that Trump imposed on Muslim countries in 2017 sparked outrage not only among American Muslims, but it also angered the minority leader in the Senate, Senator Bernie Sanders, California Senator Chuck Schumer, and the elected vice president. Kamala Harris;

She said, at the time, that widespread discrimination against refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, most of whom are women and children, runs counter to our national security interests and is likely to be used as a tool for terrorist recruitment.

They are not homogeneous

But despite Trump's policies against this religious group, some Muslims, like Khan, still vote for him.

In fact, the margin between Trump and his Democratic rival, among Muslims, was closer than what experts had apparently expected, revealing that Muslim voters are not a homogeneous bloc, and Republicans can woo them, even when their policies are against them.

A survey conducted by the Associated Press revealed that while most Muslims interviewed voted for the president-elect, 35% said they voted for Trump.

This percentage was higher than the results of an opinion poll conducted by the Council on American Islamic Relations, or "CAIR", which showed that 18% of Muslims vote for Trump.

Although Muslims represent less than 1% of the total electorate in the United States, in places like Michigan, these voters could be the key to winning the state in a close electoral battle, as it did in 2016 and again in 2020.

Post-election polls can also be misleading, due to a number of factors, such as when the poll was conducted, whether or not the voter was telling the truth, about whether or not he voted for a particular candidate.

But the Muslims who voted for Trump and who spoke to the "Guardian" revealed a variety of reasons for supporting the president, who described their religious group as "a huge problem."

Even as the United States tops the number of Coronavirus cases and deaths, Khan said he believed that Trump dealt with the epidemic as best he could, but he wished to advise Americans better to wear a face mask.

“As a doctor, if I took everything a patient said into account, I would not be able to diagnose it,” Khan added. “Anyone in his place (Trump) would have done the same, but I don't think we should reject him because of that.

Although he does not seek to make people wear masks. ”

Khan's wife, Annette, a white Christian nurse who converted to Islam, said she believed her husband's support for Trump was right.

"And you see, during his presidency, he said some things that could be considered anti-Muslim."

I think it was due to ignorance, and his lack of interaction with Muslims, and lack of knowledge is the reason.

And when he forbade Muslims from coming to the country, he was referring to the areas that the Obama administration has classified as countries harboring terrorism, not all Muslim countries.

Following the appointment of newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Connie Barrett, abortion remains a hot topic, and a major issue for voters on the basis of religion.

Annette Khan takes her conservative social views on abortion and sexuality to her faith, too, and sees it reflected in the Republican Party under Trump.

The Republican Party is against abortion and same-sex marriage.

She said this is consistent with Islamic beliefs.

As for Salman Razaki, a US citizen from Minnesota, who now lives in Houston.

You voted for Trump, but not all of his reasons for voting are based on his religion.

"It is outrageous that we get our religion and our race into this, and I hope 95% of people vote for Trump," he said, citing Obama's history, which was marked by interference in the Middle East, and is an important issue for many Muslim voters.

Democrats always start a war

The American citizen of Indian origin believes that the Democrats always start the war. “(Obama) destroyed Libya, destroyed Syria, and started the war in Sudan, and during the past eight months, there was not a single bombing in Iraq.

There was not a single drone attack in Pakistan in four years.

He believes that Syria, now, is much better than it was four years ago.

"Libya was left alone, he (Trump) is the angel, compared to Obama and Bush, and we must be thankful for him," Razaki said.

While it is true that the Obama administration carried out 1,878 drone strikes, mostly, in the Middle East, Trump canceled the Obama administration's instructions, which had required the issuance of data on drone strikes, and the resulting deaths, in 2019.

Razaki said that he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, but he was not always a fan of the Republican Party, explaining: “Obama came and liked me very much, and he was a very modest and very nice man, but he just started distributing money.” But I realize that they corrupt their people, and destroy American values, which require you to get up, go, work and make your profits. ”

Dexterous businessman

Razaki makes a living by renting and managing the property.

When asked if he would be affected by Biden's plan to tax those who earn more than $ 400,000 annually, he said he would be affected.

Like many of those who voted for Trump, Razaki sees the president as a "shrewd businessman," and Democrats are extremely generous on welfare issues.

Razaki does not see the seasoned politician Trump, but he is effective on the borders and knows how to reform laws.

For the American citizen, making money in America is not a problem, "increasing wealth is not a problem, and running a country is a business."

Razaki admitted the mistake of Trump's ban on Muslims, but attributed it to "a lack of restraint."

While Razaki strongly supports Trump, he believes that Biden has just won the election, despite Trump's false and unfounded claims that he lost due to the fraudulent vote, saying: “I think Trump lost the election, and he should To give up and move away ».

The

Muslim voters do not see Trump as a seasoned politician, but he is effective on the borders and knows how to reform laws.

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