Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib is running for a second term, but his announcement Monday was quickly overshadowed by revelations that he and three city council members spent nearly $10,000 in public funds to attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration last month.
The timing of his re-election bid, coming just hours before the story broke, raises questions about whether Ghalib was trying to get ahead of the controversy.
Whatever the case, Ghalib, who made headlines last fall for endorsing Trump’s campaign, posted his re-election announcement on social media Monday afternoon, declaring that he would “continue to serve my city and my community with sincerity, commitment, and integrity, through this position and through other potential prestigious future positions.”
Less than three hours earlier, Ghalib claimed he received a phone call from Trump, who “reaffirmed his support for my reelection” and even offered him “a dual role that will help our community and our great country as a whole.”
Ghalib didn’t elaborate on what that role would be. Metro Times is awaiting a response from the mayor.
His two Facebook posts drew nearly 1,300 comments in less than 18 hours, a vast majority of which are written in Arabic.
As a Muslim born in Yemen, Ghalib’s loyalty to Trump has raised eyebrows, particularly given Trump’s recent proposal to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza and redevelop the region as a U.S.-backed resort, a plan that directly contradicts Ghalib’s repeated claims of standing with Palestinians. Last year, Ghalib presided over Hamtramck’s renaming of a street to “Palestine Avenue” in solidarity with those suffering under Israeli bombardment.
Ghalib’s relationship with Trump began over their shared opposition to progressive social changes like LGBTQ+ rights. In 2021, Ghalib helped lead efforts to ban the Pride Flag from city property and described LGBTQ+ activists as a “militia.”
He has since courted socially conservative Republicans, arguing that Muslims and the GOP share similar values on faith, family, and freedom.
Ghalib’s decision to use city taxpayer funds to attend Trump’s inauguration has added to criticism of the mayor, who has boasted about his so-called fiscal responsibility. Financial records obtained by the Detroit News show the city of Hamtramck spent $9,662 on flights, hotel stays, a rental car, Uber rides, and dining expenses for Ghalib and council members Abu Musa, Khalil Refai, and Muhtasin Sadman.
It’s unclear what, if anything, the mayor and council members accomplished in Washington D.C., beyond attending the inauguration. Legal experts say city officials can use public money to travel related to government business, but the spending must serve a clear benefit to taxpayers.
Neither Ghalib nor the council members have provided details on any meetings held or discussions they had on behalf of the city.
Ghalib’s continued embrace of Trump has confused and angered many in Hamtramck, a city with a significant Muslim and immigrant population. Trump, who has a long history of Islamophobic rhetoric and policies, including the travel ban that restricted immigration from Yemen, has done little to signal a genuine shift in his position toward Muslim communities.
Despite that, Ghalib has defended his endorsement, arguing that he and Trump are committed to “peace in the Middle East.”
“He emphasized on the importance of accomplishing that goal in a fair and peaceful way,” Ghalib said of Trump.
The vague wording did little to clarify how the two men, with seemingly opposing views on Palestine, found common ground on Gaza.
In the 2024 presidential election, many Muslims and other supporters of Palestinians began supporting Trump over Kamala Harris due to anger over the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel, which included funding used for bombs to attack Palestinians. Meanwhile, Trump, a compulsive liar, insisted he supported a ceasefire.
Even after Trump proposed barring Palestinians from returning to Gaza, Ghalib doubled down, saying he opposed the plan but still believed in Trump’s leadership.
It remains unclear whether the mayor, facing backlash over his inauguration spending, sought to bolster his political standing by name-dropping Trump in the social media posts.
