One of the wealthiest businessmen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) says a Donald Trump presidency would cost America billions of dollars in investments from Persian Gulf states.
Billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor said Thursday that Trump winning the Oval Office would alienate Arabs who are offended by his rhetoric toward Muslims.
{mosads}“[America] will lose their businesses [and] people will cancel any plans of investment there, I am sure of that,” Habtoor, the head of Al Habtoor Group, a UAE business conglomerate, told Reuters.
Habtoor said Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. had alienated Arabs.
“If you don’t want me in your country, how can I invest and put my money there?” he asked. “Therefore, people will divest, and this will result in unemployment in the United States.”
He added that Trump has angered Muslims by linking their faith with terrorism.
“ISIS are not Muslims, al Qaeda are not Muslims [and] Hezbollah are not Muslims,” he said, citing the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and other extremist groups. “They are criminals [and] they are terrorists,”
Habtoor said he sent Trump a letter urging the billionaire to reconsider his public remarks.
Habtoor initially endorsed Trump last August but said Thursday he could no longer support him.
“I was supporting Mr. Trump because he is a very successful businessman, he is very shrewd and I thought the United States now needs a successful businessman rather than a politician,” Habtoor said.
Reuters reported Thursday that Habtoor’s organization is planning roughly $544.6 million in investments in the hospitality industry across the U.S. and Europe this year.