Senior Biden administration officials are expected to meet with members of the Arab American and Muslim community in Michigan on Thursday, four sources familiar with planning told CNN.
The senior officials represent some of Biden’s most trusted advisers and policymakers. A list of attendees shared first with CNN includes United States Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power, principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, Office of Public Engagement director Steve Benjamin, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs director Tom Perez, White House liaison to American Muslim Communities Mazen Basrawi, as well as aides Jamie Citron and Dan Koh.
The meetings come as Biden is grappling with growing discontent within his own party over his handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Michigan is home to one of the nation’s largest populations of Arab Americans and Muslims and there is concern among Democrats that alienating that key group could hurt the president in a battleground state that was crucial to his 2020 win and is expected to be close again in November.
Power has been among the top US officials who have been publicly confronted about the administration’s position toward Gaza.
At a public speech last week, one questioner – who identified herself as a USAID contractor – pressed Power on the loss of the US’ ability “to be moral leaders” due to the “US-funded genocide in Gaza.” Another person interrupted her speech to raise the humanitarian toll of the war.
Power pointed to US efforts to expand the flow of resources to Gaza as she said that many families are “living in unimaginable conditions.”
“In addition, of course, the greatest loss of life has come from the war itself and from the bombing, and more than 25,000…
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