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U. Michigan regent candidate deletes ‘praise’ for Hezbollah, antisemitic remarks

Posted on April 11, 2026
By College Fix Staff
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U. Michigan Board of Regents wannabe Amir Makled; Stu Smith/X

Reposts had called terror group’s members ‘martyrs,’ Israelis ‘demons’ who ‘lie, cheat, steal’

A candidate for the University of Michigan Board of Regents had reposted on the social media platform X praise for the terrorist group Hezbollah along with antisemitic comments — which he’s since deleted.

According to The Detroit News, attorney Amir Makled retweeted a post which called Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah (killed by Israel in late 2024) a “martyr” and read “May His Ascension rise High.”

Makled also retweeted praise for Hezbollah’s Abu Ali Khalil (“a martyr on the road to Jerusalem”) and Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani (included “the honorific ‘Haj’ before his name”), as well as antisemitic comments from “far-right influencer” Candace Owens (Israel is “demonic” and Israelis are “demons” who “lie, cheat, steal, murder, and blackmail”).

According to his website, Makled “specializes in civil rights, personal injury, and criminal defense work.” He provided pro-bono representation to various U. Michigan activists involved in a “pro-Gaza” encampment two years ago, The Michigan Daily reports.

The Daily notes “during that period” federal immigration officials had “detained” Makled and “requested to search his phone” (he refused).

Makled said that incident was the catalyst for becoming a Board of Regents candidate (“They were trying to crush the movement that I’m representing that’s speaking truth to power”).

While a member of the U. Michigan-Dearborn student government, Makled participated in one of the first college BDS — Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions — efforts in the country — and he highlighted how local U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) joined them when they attempted to present their resolution to the Board of Regents.

Makled told The Daily the current Board of Regents has “capitulated to the Trump administration at every opportunity” and has “gutted” DEI initiatives, that he remains pro-divestment from Israel (“we shouldn’t be profiting from entities that are supporting a genocide [and] expanding the military industrial complex”), and wants to “abolish ICE on campus.”

The Democratic Party will decide April 19 whether Makled or Regent Paul Brown will be its nominee for the board position in the fall election.

Democratic consultant Adrian Hemond advised Makled to apologize for his reposts saying their deletion was “never a great move,” and that the sentiments expressed in them “aren’t popular […] within the Democratic Party, not to mention the general electorate.”

MORE: Forty pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at University of Michigan