The curious choice of pro-Hezbollah Imam Husham al-Husainy to offer a prayer at Trump’s inauguration has brought new attention to Massad Boulos, whom Trump has appointed to be his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Massad Boulos is a Lebanese-American billionaire businessman who campaigned for Trump among Arab voters in Michigan, and helped to persuade enough of them to vote Republican so that Trump won that state. Boulos also happens to be the father of Michael Boulos, who is the husband of Trump’s daughter Tiffany. Now he has been rewarded for his help in Michigan, and for his status as Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law, with this appointment to serve as Trump’s senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. It’s a bit worrisome because Boulos, though Greek Orthodox, has ties to a Christian Lebanese named Franjieh, who happens to be a political ally of Hezbollah.
More on Massad Boulos and his appointment can be found here: “Trump Picks Massad Boulos to Serve as Adviser on Arab, Middle Eastern Affairs,” Algemeiner, December 1, 2024:
US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos would serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social. Boulos, the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany, met repeatedly with Arab American and Muslim leaders during the election campaign.
It was the second time in recent days that Trump chose the father-in-law of one of his children to serve in his administration.
On Saturday, Trump said that he had picked his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father, real estate mogul Charles Kushner, to serve as US ambassador to France.
In recent months, Boulos campaigned for Trump to drum up Lebanese and Arab American support, even as the US-backed Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Boulos has powerful roots in both countries.
His father and grandfather were both figures in Lebanese politics and his father-in-law was a key funder of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party aligned with Hezbollah….
The Christians in Lebanon are split over Hezbollah. Those Christians who belong to the Free Patriotic Movement support closer ties with Hezbollah, and it is this group with which Boulos’ family has been aligned. His father -in-law was a major funder of the FPM. The Christians of the Lebanese Forces Party, on the other hand, are resolutely anti-Hezbollah. Boulos has contacts with them, too, but is not their supporter.
Trump wants the wars in the Middle East to end. That is, he has said he wants the Israelis to “hurry up” and “finish the job,” which sounds as if he is intent on IDF winding up victorious campaigns in both Gaza and in Lebanon. As to the war against Hezbollah, that has ended in a ceasefire with humiliating terms for the Lebanese Shi’a group. It is being monitored to make sure that this time, as opposed to what happened between 2006 and 2023, Hezbollah will comply with the conditions set down. In 2006, Hezbollah refused to comply, as it had promised, with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and did not pull its forces back from the area between the Litani River and the border with Israel. Instead, Hezbollah remained in southern Lebanon, bringing in more weapons and hiding them, digging tunnels that went from southern Lebanon into northern Israel, and placing their combatants in villages across the area.
If this appointment by Trump is just a way of rewarding a supporter who performed outreach with Arab voters in Michigan, or of satisfying the desire of someone who is a relative by marriage, and wants to feel he is more than just a billionaire businessman (they’re a dime-a-dozen in Trump’s circle), that’s okay. But if Trump in fact listens to Boulos’ views on the Middle East, and in particular to his willingness to be aligned with, or linked to, Hezbollah, and with the Christian group that favors close ties to Hezbollah, Suleiman Frangieh’s Free Patriotic Movement, then there would be cause for alarm. The pending appearance of Husham al-Husainy confirms that there is considerable cause for alarm.
somehistory says
All is not hunky-dory, it seems. Aren’t there any people who have no ties to terrorism who can advise on how to treat mozlums? (Besides Mr. Spencer, Mr. Raymond Ibrahim, Mr. Greenfield, and Ms. Geller, who can be recommended)
Does Mr. Trump know about those ones? Does he care?
Give a mozlum anything but what is deserving, and he’ll take more.
Tony says
Sadly, President Trump fails to understand Islam’s true threat to ALL Non-Muslims. Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Organization of discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers since Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam where Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and declared as a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims.
Allah in Islam demands SURRENDER which means ‘to Surrender, whether voluntarily or not, by becoming a Muslim’ while Submission, ‘to Submit’, is a voluntary act to follow the authority or control of another. Allah in Quran 49:14 says, “’The Bedouins said, ‘We believed.’ Say,’You did not believe. But say, ‘We surrender (became Muslim as a result of fear).’ And the faith has not entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and his messenger, he will not decrease anything from your works. Surely Allah is forgiving, merciful.’”
Islam promotes a terroristic war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
B says
Well said.
Troybeam says
So many mixed emotions on the appointment of this person, do not care if he’s father-in-law to daughter, feel strongly that no Muslim serve in American government a sits dangerous to the nation. Wishing Trump had not done this, mixed emotions are this: will this man always put America and Constitution first and foremost and disregard Islam.
Grannya says
Totally agree, a true muslum only holds allegiance to Mohammad, no other person, nation or God. They believe it’s ok to lie to get what they want no matter how many years it takes.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I do wish that Trump stops looking at the in-laws of his kids for such official roles. I like most of his appointments this time, such as Hegseth (who’s doing a great job while I type), Kennedy, Kash Patel, Tulsi, Burgham, Huckabee, et al, but I absolutely don’t like him putting his relatives in such official roles
In 2016, one thing Trump did right was to discontinue the iftar dinners at the White House. I hope he continues that this time as well. One interesting aspect though – Trump or his team has picked a shi’a to represent islam at this event. I doubt that sunnis in either the US or in the Middle East will appreciate this, just like they hated the alliance they were forced to have w/ LGBTQIA+ in the Democrat Party 😈
So which faiths will be represented at the inauguration? At the GOP convention last year, it was LDS and Sikhism
gravenimage says
Infidel, President Trump *did* discontinue Iftar dinners at the Whitehouse in 2017–sadly. there was such a backlash from Muslims and clueless dhimmis that he reinstated them the following year. I doubt he will discontinue them again–although of course I would love to be wrong.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Graven
The following year, he did a dinner during Ramadan for the Kuwaiti envoy – something similar to what Jefferson had done for the Bey of Tunis. I don’t think he re-instated it: in fact, was there another such in 2019? (2020 being Covid, there obviously wasn’t any)
carpediadem says
The first time round he was conned by the Fauci/Birx covid cartel types.
Now this time round looks like he’ll be conned with Muslim jihadi bunch.
I’m not happy, to put it mildly.
Major Tom says
No Muslim should be in a position of governmental authority in any Western Christian nation…..
“What fellowship does darkness have with light?”
Nienie says
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Please read the entire chapter.
James Lincoln says
Incoming Pres. Trump desperately needs some true anti-jihad advisors in his inner circle.
Lots to choose from, as somehistory mentioned above “Mr. Spencer, Mr. Raymond Ibrahim, Mr. Greenfield, and Ms. Geller”
I would also add people like John Guondolo, Frank J. Gaffney Jr., etc.
And there are others…
somehistory says
James, I agree. There are even some who come here, many under fake names, who know and understand enough to give advice to Mr. Trump on dealing with mozlums and islam.
It’s been said that he reads this site, so he could ask Mr. Spencer for advice on whom he should choose to advise him.
James Lincoln says
somehistory,
Are you saying that Pres. Trump actually accesses Jihad Watch?
Now that would be fantastic!
gravenimage says
I hope he does–but given his muddled views on Islam, this sadly seems rather unlikely.
The only time Trump has directly referred to anything Jinad Watch related that I know of–the Draw Muhammad contest some years ago–he seemed pretty clueless as to why anyone would be critical of Islam.
somehistory says
James, I don’t recall who made the post on here about it, but it is in my memory that a poster wrote something to that effect….that he had read here, or one of his advisors does. Wish I could recall exactly what the poster wrote and/or who wrote it.
Enemies do, so why not him?
gravenimage says
The Imam at the Inauguration and Trump’s Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs, Massad Boulos
………………………………………..
President Trump is pretty solidly anti-Jihad–but sadly even he understands almost nothing about Islam itself, so there will be more of this dangerous insanity,