US President Donald Trump hosted the first White House iftar dinner of his second term on Thursday night, extending thanks to the "hundreds of thousands" of Muslim Americans who supported him in the 2024 presidential election. Speaking from the State Dining Room, Trump addressed a modest audience, expressing gratitude to Muslim voters who helped secure key victories in battleground states. "As we honor the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, let me begin by saying to our Muslim friends — we have many tonight, and I think we have many all over the world based on the results in Michigan and other places — I just want to say hello to all of the people that supported us so strongly. Ramadan Mubarak," Trump said. He acknowledged the shifting political landscape, noting that his administration is committed to upholding promises made to the Muslim community. "We're keeping our promises to the Muslim community," he said. "My administration is engaged in relentless diplomacy to forge lasting peace in the Middle East, building on the historic Abraham Accords, which everybody said would be impossible." During his remarks, Trump referred to the Abraham Accords — a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Muslim-majority countries brokered during his first term — and hinted at plans to expand them. Trump received a historic level of support from Muslim Americans in the 2024 election, a notable shift from the community's traditional backing of the Democratic Party. The pivot was largely driven by dissatisfaction with former President Joe Biden's stance on Israel's war in Gaza. Throughout his campaign, Trump pledged to end the conflict. A ceasefire was implemented shortly before his inauguration in January. However, hostilities resumed earlier this month, with Israel launching renewed strikes on Gaza, drawing widespread condemnation. Trump, meanwhile, has maintained staunch support for Israel, proposing new military aid and controversially suggesting a plan to redevelop Gaza, which includes the displacement of its roughly 2 million Palestinian residents — a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism. While it remains unclear how many Muslims were present at Thursday's iftar, the dinner appeared to be a largely political affair. Attendees included Trump allies such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, and Deputy Middle East Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus. — Agencies
