During the 2024 presidential campaign, Democrats panicked over the rise of the “uncommitted” movement, a faction that opposed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris due to their flip-flop support for Israel.
If Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s latest overseas trip is any indication, that movement continues to exert significant influence over the Democratic Party—and not in a reassuring way.
Whitmer, once considered a moderate, took 17 officials, business leaders, and even the head of the Michigan National Guard on a trip to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, supposedly to “strengthen economic ties.” However, one name on the guest list raises serious concerns: Osama Siblani, a known apologist for terrorist groups and a vocal opponent of Israel.
Siblani, the publisher of Arab American News, has openly praised Hezbollah’s leader, refused to condemn Hamas even after its brutal attacks on Israeli civilians, and has gone so far as to call for Jews to be sent “back to Poland.” His inflammatory rhetoric is well-documented: in 2022, he urged Arabs to take up whatever means necessary—“stones,” “guns,” or their bare hands—against Israel. Yet, rather than distancing herself from such a figure, Whitmer chose to bring him along as part of an official state delegation.
This decision is particularly disturbing given Whitmer’s presidential aspirations for 2028. As Chuck Ross reports, Siblani was a key figure in the “uncommitted” movement that undermined Biden and Harris over their policies on Israel. Whitmer’s willingness to engage with him suggests that, rather than rejecting this radical wing of the Democratic Party, she is actively courting it.
There is no plausible deniability here. The Anti-Defamation League and other Jewish organizations have condemned Siblani’s statements for years, yet Democratic leaders—including the White House—have repeatedly entertained him in a bid for political support. Now, Whitmer has elevated him further by granting him a seat at the table on an official state mission.
This raises a fundamental question: Is Whitmer’s engagement with Siblani a sign of political desperation, or does it reveal a deeper shift within the Democratic Party? Either answer should concern voters who expect their leaders to uphold basic moral standards, rather than legitimizing extremists for the sake of political expediency.