Being pro-Trump has caused me more grief than being Bin Laden’s niece

Americans are, in my experience, the warmest, most kind-hearted and open-minded people in the world. I have found this to be true for my whole life, despite being the niece of Osama Bin Laden and sharing the same surname (albeit spelled slightly differently — Bin Ladin is the original translation). Americans base their judgment on the content of someone’s character and actions, not on the colour of their skin — or their last name. This was reaffirmed last month, after I voiced my love for America and support for President Trump. The response to ‘My Letter to America’ has been overwhelmingly wonderful, and I am most thankful to all those who took the time to read it and send kind messages, including Spectator readers. But in my private life, I have lost a few so-called friends for backing Donald Trump over the past five years. Coming out publicly was a step too far for some, and the vitriol I received for stating my political beliefs revealed unflattering sides to certain characters. From a sociological standpoint, it is quite interesting that in some elitist circles being pro-Trump has caused me more grief than carrying the name Bin Ladin.

Even more striking were the contrasting reactions to President Trump’s Covid diagnosis. Gleeful comments devoid of compassion flooded social media, some even going as far as to wish for his death. Kim Jong-un showed more sympathy than many of the President’s detractors. Yet for all the hate, there was an outpouring of love and well-wishes from his supporters. One take from a favourite Twitter account of mine (@HonorAndDaring) expressed it best: ‘Trump is the first and only President that I’ve actually cared about. That’s because he’s the first President in recent memory that seems to care more about Americans than an abstract ideology or just enriching his donors.’