Politics
US election: Middle East conflict becomes key issue for Harris and Trump
With just two weeks until election day, the ongoing crisis in the Middle East has become a focal point in the US presidential race.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are each attempting to address the conflict’s complexities while fighting for crucial votes in battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, which have large Arab American and Jewish populations.
Harris has been navigating a challenging line, expressing strong support for Israel while also condemning civilian casualties in Gaza and Lebanon.
This balancing act has drawn mixed reactions, including criticism from some who misinterpreted her remarks during a recent exchange with a pro-Palestinian protestor as agreeing with claims of Israeli “genocide.”
Harris’ campaign quickly clarified that her comments were focused on the broader humanitarian condition in Gaza.
The dynamics shifted a day earlier when Harris stated that the “first and most tragic story” of the conflict was the 7 October Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis.
This statement upset those who felt she was not adequately addressing the deaths of over 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, leading to further criticism of her stance.
Trump, on the other hand, has taken a more assertive approach, claiming the conflict would not have occurred under his leadership and promising an end to it if elected.
In recent interviews with Middle Eastern TV outlets and posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that a Harris administration would escalate the conflict, even suggesting the risk of World War III.
“If Kamala gets four more years, the Middle East will spend the next four decades going up in flames, and your kids will be going off to war, maybe even a World War III, something that will never happen with President Donald J Trump in charge,” Trump posted.
Can Harris and Trump navigate the Middle East crisis?
As Harris tries to align her messaging with President Joe Biden’s policies while striking a more emphatic tone, some in the Democratic Party express frustration over Trump’s unpredictable but bold foreign policy statements, which have gathered attention without much scrutiny.
Analysts note this contrast as a potential challenge for Harris in the final days of the campaign.
An AP-NORC poll indicates neither candidate holds a significant advantage on Middle East policy, with voters split on who would handle the situation better.
However, Harris faces some discontent within her party. Only two-thirds of Democrats say she would be the better candidate to address the conflict, while 8 in 10 Republicans back Trump on the issue.
In Michigan, home to the largest Arab American community in the US, the war’s impact is deeply personal. The community has called for a ceasefire and criticised the Biden administration for its stance on the conflict.
While Harris initially offered hope for change, many feel her policies have not diverged enough from Biden’s.
Despite both parties largely supporting Israel, much of the frustration and criticism has been directed towards Biden.
When Harris launched her campaign, Arab American leaders were initially hopeful. However, that hope quickly faded as the community felt she had not distanced her policies enough from Biden’s.
Meanwhile, ads funded by Future Coalition PAC, a group backed by Elon Musk, are targeting Arab American communities in Michigan and Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, each emphasising different aspects of Harris’ stance on Israel.
As election day nears, the Middle East crisis remains a critical issue both for the candidates’ messaging and the race’s outcome.
Politics
Breaking: Diri Orders Autopsy on Bayelsa Deputy Governor’s Death, Warns Against Politicisation
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Governor Diri gave the directive on Saturday while receiving former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Government House in Yenagoa.
Reacting to the incident, the governor condemned what he described as widespread misinformation and speculation on social media, warning against any attempt to politicise the deputy governor’s death.
“I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the passing of our dearly beloved deputy governor,” Diri said.
“If anyone truly loves him, this is the time to show it. I have directed that an autopsy be carried out to reveal the cause of his death. There is a lot of nonsense going on on social media.”
The governor further urged the public to focus on mourning and honouring the late deputy governor, noting that the state government had declared three working days of mourning in his honour.
“If anyone is issuing statements to eulogise him, let it end there. Let us mourn him because Bayelsa State is in a mourning mood,” he added.
Governor Diri also called for unity and love among the people, reminding them of the inevitability of death.
Speaking during the condolence visit, former President Goodluck Jonathan described the late Ewhrudjakpo as a committed and dedicated individual who played a key role in the activities of his foundation.
“For me, he was someone my foundation and I will never forget. He represented the governor in all our programs,” Jonathan said, adding that Ewhrudjakpo worked tirelessly in that role, even more than when he served as deputy governor.
The founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said he will never take part in partisan politics, not for even billions of naira.
He stated that no amount of money, including “$1 billion,” (1.4 Trillion naira) would make him join politics.
Oyedepo made this known during an impartation service at Shiloh 2025 held at the church’s headquarters in Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State.
He explained that partisan politics is not part of his life’s calling and that is why he has chosen to stay away from it.
In his words: “In 2015, I warned the church that trouble was coming. Didn’t trouble come?
“Partisan politics is off my calling. If you give me $1 billion to join politics, I won’t, because it is off my course.”
The bishop also said the world is in urgent need of God’s intervention because of the times we are living in.
According to him, believers are being trained as an end-time army to bring solutions to national and global problems, similar to what biblical figures like Joseph and Daniel did.
President Bola Tinubu congratulates Chief Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on his birthday, December 13.
President Tinubu celebrates with the Minister and former governor of Rivers State, giving thanks to God Almighty for enriching him with a life defined by purpose, service, and courage.
The President describes Chief Wike as an audacious top performer who defies obstacles and delivers results.
President Tinubu acknowledges the ongoing transformation of the Federal Capital Territory through infrastructure expansion, highlighting the Minister’s recent intervention that broke the 14-year logjam in the construction of the Apo-Karshi road.
The President commends Chief Wike for his resilience, can-do attitude, and commitment to excellence in all assignments.
President Tinubu thanks the Minister for his consistent efforts in delivering results and wishes him a happy birthday and strength to further his good work in the FCT.
“Nyesom Wike has been one of the shining stars in the cabinet, an exceptional performer, developing infrastructure in the Federal capital as never seen before and proving that his moniker as ‘Mr Project’ is not limited to his home state of Rivers.
“I commend him for being one of the champions of our Renewed Hope Agenda, even though he belongs to another party and wish him well as he marks another year in his life journey”.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
December 13, 2025
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