Overview
- Committee Republicans Ted Cruz, John Curtis, John Cornyn, and Dave McCormick have publicly said they will not support advancing Ghalib, with Sen. John Barrasso warning the nomination may not even reach the floor.
- Democratic senators offered no support after a bipartisan grilling at last week’s hearing, where Sens. Chris Murphy, Tim Kaine, and Jeanne Shaheen pressed Ghalib over his record.
- Ghalib faced scrutiny for past statements including saying Hamas was justified in its 2023 attack, calling Saddam Hussein a “martyr,” and liking a post comparing Jewish people to monkeys.
- At the hearing, Ghalib downplayed his social media activity and said the Saddam comment was made in a “moment of anger” following Iranian attacks in 2020.
- The White House declined to comment on the mounting opposition, and Sen. Rand Paul said he is still considering the nomination, which involves the Hamtramck, Michigan, mayor who endorsed Trump in 2024.