Trump, drummed; Trumped or dumped?

What’s the one thing common among all the news related to the upcoming US presidential elections? Yes, Donald Trump, he is currently the talk of the election town for his infamous statements against the Muslim community.

I say infamous because it is not only a handful of people who believe this, but the number is alarmingly huge. With his recent interviews and speeches during the election campaign, he has audaciously spoken about Muslims in and around America.

In his view, he wants a ‘Muslim Free America’, a total and complete shutdown of Muslims (after the San Bernardino attack) for which he has been condemned by his own party leaders.

Recently in Iowa rally a turban clad man was ejected from the speech for carrying the banner ‘Stop hate’.

Mr. Trump mocked with a sarcastic “bye bye” as he was being manhandled by the guard to the exit.

In November, last year, Mr. Trump faced criticism in his rally with slogans like ‘Black lives matter’ to which he responded “Get him the hell out of here, will you, please”?

Quite a lot of protest did the presidential candidate face in the recent rallies with one being in Rock Hill, SC. A 56 year old Muslim woman wore a white hijab and a blue t-shirt reading ‘Salam, I come in peace’.

It is not the first time that this businessman is accused of such statements. Five years ago, in an interview with CBN, a Christian Broadcasting Network, he openly criticized Muslims and how they were responsible for the WTC and how their book teaches hatred and promotes negativity

‘Look here what happened in my city, the World Trade Center’ – The owner of Trump organization when asked what he had to say about his statement, he claimed that Muslims are the problem. He even said that it was because of the Muslims the country was falling apart.

This was just after the interview with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly.

Earlier this year, in an interview with Jon Dickerson, he claimed that ‘many people’ have agreed to his view and that other politicians were ‘examining’ to what he said.

The presidential candidate even back his statement on banning of Muslims from the US.

‘I have to say what I have to say’ – Donald Trump.

This was just after the Al – Shabaab, a terrorist group’s video came out enunciating that ‘the West’ would turn against its Muslim citizens. Al – Shabaab is a terrorist organization operating from Somalia aiming to topple the Somali government and enforcing Sharia-law.

The current Republican candidate claimed that even his ‘Muslim friends’ agree with his policy.

In the wake of Trump's policy announcement, which came in early December, Hillary Clinton and others warned that his divisive rhetoric was playing into the hands of terror groups such as Al-Shabaab, its affiliate Al Qaeda, and others like ISIS.

Clinton even went as far as to brand trump 'ISIS' best recruiter', adding: 'They [terrorists] are going to people showing them videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists.'

President Obama got in the ‘Muslim debate’ and condemned the Republican’s frontrunner saying that targeting a particular sect of people on the basis of race or religion is completely wrong and that this is not ‘political’. Any such kind of politics should be rejected.

He even said that rejecting such politics is what makes America strong.

He mentioned the saying of Pope Francis that ‘Imitating the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place’ hitting straight on the Republican candidate.

Insulting Muslims in and around America, calling names to kids and vandalizing Mosques don’t make us safer. This came out soon after Trump promulgated the idea of a temporary ban on Muslims in the US.

President Obama took full advantage of the opportunity and visited the Islamic Society of Baltimore, being the first President to do so.

He called the writers and producers to create more of Muslim characters on television.

He warned that Trump and others like him could hurt the country.

The above statements nonetheless diminish the image of US in the eyes of the world.

Not only in America but in Britain too the politicians and lawmakers condemned Mr. Trump and even proposed a petition to ban him from entering Britain. But most of them claimed that doing so would hamper the so called ‘free speech’ of Britain.

Members of the Parliament said that banning Mr. Trump would be giving him publicity and it wasn’t for Britain to get involved in the affairs of US.

Though the three hour debate wasn’t based on voting, many were against banning him than supporting his ban, as it hampered the freedom to say whatever you want to.

Prime Minister Cameron stated that the comments were “divisive, unhelpful and wrong” but didn’t really feel that he should be barred.

From Democrats to Conservatives to Labour Party spokesperson, none backed Mr. Donald’s comment.

“I want to see Donald Trump come to this country ... I want him to get a sense of the fury and the frustration with his xenophobic remarks”, said Gavin Robinson, a lawmaker from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party.

Conservative lawmaker, Tom Tugendhat suggested that it is just bad politics and the Americans should hold him accountable. Whereas Jack Dromey even went to the extent of barring him within a 1,000 miles of Britain’s shore.

“Just think what would happen in the current climate if he came…and preached that message of divisive hate’, he said.

Meanwhile, in response, Mr. Trump has threatened to cancel a billion dollar planned investment in Scotland’s golf courses if he is banned.

Talking about America, many Americans don’t have a particulate image of a Muslim person and such statements could undoubtedly harm the Muslims and degrade in the eyes of fellow Americans.

With the denouncement of Donald’s remarks in US and Britain, Middle East is desolated too. With an increased chance of fueling the recruitment efforts of the extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, many have put across their views saying this is an unpleasant statement to make by the frontrunner.

Rami Khoury, a senior public policy person at the American University of Beirut debates that the ‘only people happy’ would be the terrorists and extremists. He berated that this is something unacceptable from a man at this stage.

“This kind of thinking is not logical”, exclaimed Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, an advisor the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, one of the most influential religious institutions.

Mr. Trump’s statements have done nothing but stirred Islamophobia among people in America and around.

An Egyptian comedian, Bassem Youssef sarcastically tweeted “I didn’t know Donald Trump was fluent in Nazi”.

Courtesy; Google Images: Bassem Youssef, Comedian

Displeasing the Middle-East though wouldn’t be a wise idea for Mr. Trump, owner of the Trump organization. A huge amount of his fortune is invested in the Middle-East. Ranging from his ventures in Qatar, UAE and the most prominent Islamic country form the region, Saudi Arabia.

His business ventures in the region is in billions and perhaps might get affected with his deteriorating image.

From the Hotel collection to the home décor collection to Qatar Airways to the much talked about and hyped ‘Trump International Golf Club’.

The investments are huge and the risk is gut-wrenching.

Trump’s International Golf Club is close to completing a 7,205 yard golf course in Dubai, ‘one of the largest of its kind in Dubai’. It is scheduled to complete shorty. The AKOYA by DAMAC which includes the International Golf Club, Trump PVRT mansions and villas and a Trump spa and wellness center is valued at some $6 billion.

Though the senior vice president of the DAMAC Properties expressed that the agreement was with the Trump Organization and wouldn’t be affected by the stance Mr. Trump has on Muslims.

Not only golf clubs but even hotels are being planned to start in the Muslim dominated region.

Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the tycoon and the controversial candidate in May 2015 told that the Trump Hotel Collection is in the process of building luxury line of hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

With their main focus on these 4, the Trump organization might be risking their business by their controversial owner.

The Qatar Airways too had an office in the Trump Tower in the Fifth Avenue in Manhattan the office space of which starts from $19,000 and can go upto $106,000.

The Trump home has partnered with Landmark Group of Dubai in a line of home décor and furniture. They have even warned to remove the products from 180 Lifestyle stores in expressing that the statement by Mr. Trump hampers the ‘value and respect of its customers’.

His rhetoric about Islam in his recent campaign trails have caused a wariness among the Arab countries.

Upsetting his Arabian counter-parts wouldn’t be a wise idea for the Republican leader.

Just a while ago did the Emirati business man Khalaf Al Habtoor expressed his support for the Republicans but little did he know that his view would change.

“I will not let him in. I reject him” – Al Habtoor told a reporter.

Al Habtoor had earlier in August, 2015 praised Mr. Trump for “believing in bringing back the country’s super power status”, later however he wrote a column stating that he was wrong and doesn’t mind admitting it.

Courtesy; Google Images: Khalaf Al Habtoor, Businessman (left), Prince Waleed Bin Talal (right)

“He is really creating war. He is creating hatred between Muslims and Christians”, Habtoor who had once held the contract to build a Trump International and Hotel and Tower in Dubai told Reuters.

The Saudi billionaire didn’t spare him either, Prince Waleed Bin Talal tweeted Mr. Trump as a ‘disgrace’ and asked him to withdraw the presidential race as he doesn’t have signs of winning.

The net worth of Prince Waleed is around 24 billion, 6 times than Mr. Trump.

Trump group had announced having 30 luxury hotels across Middle-East by 2020 which seems to be a little shaky now as none of them have emerged.

Trump was even questioned about his reputation overseas in an interview on Fox News to which he replied “If I lose some business overseas it doesn’t have any impact on me whatsoever. What I am doing right now … is far more important than any single business that I own”.

Trump earlier in 2011 and recently had falsely said that Kuwait paid nothing to the US for driving out occupying Iraqi forces during the 1991 Gulf War. But the US congressional records show Kuwait contributed $16.1 billion for the war.

Those Gulf War comments recently drew boos on a comedy talk show in Kuwait, which still holds the US in high regard for coming to its aid in the war.

Hamad al-Ali, the comedian who poked fun at them, was critical of Trump’s latest comments on barring Muslims.

“He shouldn’t promote these types of ideas. These kinds of ideas are from some sort of person who is not educated,” he said.

The Emirates paper advised Donald Trump with ‘Zip it, Donald. Just zip it’.

Even his investments in Turkey and other Muslim countries could be at stake. The licensed tower in Istanbul, Turkey ($1 million to $5 million) and the licensed Trump Hotel and Tower in Baku, Azerbaijan ($2.5 million) is at jeopardize.

All in all, safe to say that the 2016 US presidential elections would be quite interesting and it’ll be fascinating to see if people part with Mr. Trump and grant him victory or reject his strong political anti-Muslim statements.

Trump has drummed, trumped or dumped is what time would decide.