Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi named ambassador to Tunisia by Trump

• President Donald Trump selected the mayor of Dearborn Heights Invoice Bazzi as an envoy in Tunisia.
• Bazzi had permitted Trump final 12 months and stated he’ll finish wars and unauthorized immigration.

President Donald Trump introduced on Tuesday that the mayor of Dearborn Heights, Invoice Bazzi, might be his subsequent ambassador in Tunisia.

In a submit about Fact Social, Trump praised Bazzi for his army service, working with diplomats all over the world they usually work as an engineer at Ford and Boeing. That is the second mayor of Metro Detroit who Trump talked about as an envoy in an Arab nation final week: On Friday, Trump Hamtramck selected Mayor Amer Ghalib as his ambassador in Kuwait.

“Bazzi is a embellished American navy, which has served our nation for 21 years and cooperates with American embassy ambassadors, diplomats and leaders all over the world,” ” Trump wrote about Truth Social. “Bazzi additionally labored at Boeing as a high quality supervisor and Ford Motor Firm as a product growth engineer. … I sit up for seeing the good issues he’ll obtain for our nation.”

An immigrant from Lebanon who served within the American Marines and as soon as labored for Ford Motor Co., Bazzi, 61, is mayor since January 2021 when town council voted 4-3 to make him mayor than Paletko. Bazzi was elected later that 12 months in November till a interval of 4 years by 72% of the votes.

Bazzi cooperates with the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and different teams in applications that discover totally different international locations, together with A trip from 2023 to Jordan By way of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and the Arabian American Institute.

Bazzi has not decreased a voicemail that left the free press on Tuesday. In a Fb message at about 7 p.m. Bazzi stated he was honored by Trump who known as him to be an envoy and stated he visited Tunisia earlier than.

Extra: Donald Trump chooses Hamtramck Burgemeester Amer Ghalib for ambassador in Kuwait

“Below the totally different international locations I’ve visited through the years, I’ve an important affinity with Tunisia and its members of parliamentary members – along with the folks I met through the touring of orphanages, profession establishments for ladies, faculties and a a number of of firms that distinguish the rising presence of the nation within the area within the area,” ” Bazzi wrote Tuesday. “With my visits supervision of the visits of the Cohort to the US, and the relationships we have now established through the years, I’m happy to return and honorably characterize in Tunisia as his American ambassador.”

Ghalib endorsed Trump in September and arranged a gathering with Trump in Hamtramck on October 18. On October 21, Bazzi publicly endorsed Trump in a press dialog with different Trump supporters within the Arab American group. Throughout the name, Bazzi stated that Trump will carry peace within the center and can put an finish to unauthorized immigration, saying that the “unlawful immigrants … who are available” these “cruelty” are fairly disgusting.

Bazzi additionally expressed his concern concerning the assaults of Israel in Lebanon, the place he and 1000’s of others from Lebanese People have roots in Wayne County.

“The home that my grandparents constructed a couple of days in the past was simply destroyed in South -Libanon,” stated Bazzi through the October press dialog of GOP leaders.

Bazzi is a part of the Shia -Muslim group in Michigan, who typically attends occasions in mosques and Lebanese facilities in Dearborn Heights and close by cities. South Libanon is heavy Shia and has typically been in battle with Israel in current many years.

Bazzi, the primary Muslim mayor of Dearborn Heights, spoke at a number of the conferences of Trump, together with one in Novi with plenty of imams on stage with Trump. He Speaking in Grand Rapids At Trump’s final assembly in Michigan. The Trump marketing campaign did an intensive outreach for Arab People and Muslims in Michigan, who helped win the Republican Presidential Nominated in heavy Arab terrains in Wayne County.

“Bazzi labored exhausting through the 2024 presidential election to assist us safe our historic victory,” Trump stated in his fact Social Submit.

Tunisia is a nation in North Africa with round 12 million folks. The uprisings referred to as The Arab Spring began in Tunisia 15 years in the past.

Ghalib and Bazzi should each be confirmed by the US Senate earlier than they develop into ambassadors.

Bazzi, born in Lebanon, emigrated to the US when he was 10 years outdated and graduated from Fordson Excessive College in Dearborn, based on a biography with the Affiliation of Patriotic Arab People in Army. He joined the US Marine Corps after highschool and served in lively service from 1984 to 1988.

“After 22 years at Ford, Bazzi took an early retirement to serve his metropolis as mayor of Dearborn Heights,” stated Trump.

This 12 months there’s a common elections in August and November in Dearborn Heights for the four-year mayor interval, a non-party-related place. If Bazzi is confirmed as an envoy and would resign as mayor earlier than the elections, the 7-person council is requested below The city harter To pick a mayor by a majority voice to fill within the non -expansion interval, which ends in January 2026. It’s unclear when the senate affirmation of Bazzi would happen and when he would resign. Dearborn Heights Metropolis Council chairman Mo Baydoun, a frequent critic of Bazzi, introduced final month on Instagram that he’s operating for mayor.

Town of Dearborn Heights has been identified for years for the frequent battle amongst civil servants. Bazzi has had a relentless dispute with youthful members of town council, a few of whom accuse him that he’s too respect for town council, whereas insisting on extra Arab American illustration within the metropolis council. Bazzi typically tried to behave as a mediator between the 2 factions. A lawsuit that was filed final 12 months by a couple of Dearborn Heights Police officers accuse some Arab People of town council of getting a choice towards whites.

In December Bazzi named the primary Muslim and first Arab American police chief within the historical past of town, Hussein Farhat, who turned interim chef. However the next month town introduced that Farhat was not chief and named officer Ahmed Haider as the brand new chef, who induced indignation from some residents.

By one Contentious municipal council meeting Bazzi didn’t seem on 30 January reported by WXYZ TV (channel 7), however a T-shirt was wrapped in his chair and browse: “I can not speak about it.”

Please contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com