"May the best man win! This may be the cry from the hearts of Kosovo Albanians and their politicians. It was the United States that saved them, and they remain Americanophiles. Bill Clinton, the man behind the NATO strikes against dictator Milosevic's regime, has his own statue in Pristina, on the main boulevard that bears his name... In recent years, however, relations have become a little more complicated and fears have been raised that Prime Minister Albin Kurti's intransigence towards Serbia will eventually really piss off Uncle Sam. The same state of mind prevails in the diaspora across the Atlantic.
After New York, Michigan is home to the largest Albanian community in the country. It is one of the six "swing states," the key states that could decide this election, billed as one of the closest in the history of American democracy. In an interview with Zëri i Amerikës, Imam Shuab Görguri of the Islamic Center of Michigan Albanians argues that "the war in the Middle East is an important factor in this year's election."
To try to win the support of these voters, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris went to meet with them. Richard Grenell, Trump's former special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, went to Detroit to address Albanians for Trump.
Pristina's star singer Il Limani, who has been pro-Trump since 2016, boasted on social media about his invitation to perform there, but eventually withdrew his messages due to the harsh criticism. Many Kosovo Albanians blame Richard Grenell for his pro-Serb bias.
For her part, Kamala Harris met with Michigan Albanians who support her. Beside her was one strong supporter: retired General Wesley Clark, the man who commanded the NATO Allied Force operation during the Kosovo war.
In an interview with Koha TV, foreign policy expert Donica Emini said a victory for the Democratic candidate would be preferable for Kosovo's future. "With Trump's return, there will be a hardening of the United States' approach," she asserts, explaining that Albanians must "get used to the new circumstances that are not favorable for Kosovo."
Greeks in America always vote for Trump
In the 2016 and 2020 elections, the Greek-American community largely supported Donald Trump against Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Although Greek-Americans make up only 0.6% of the electorate, their political influence is significant, especially in business and show business, starting in Hollywood. Moreover, the community is concentrated in just a few states: New York, Illinois, Florida, Ohio and California. That means these voices can be crucial. Despite Donald Trump's unpredictable behaviour, Greek-American relations have been excellent during his presidency. Athens and Washington signed important bilateral agreements, especially in the areas of arms and defence, but Greek Americans are more than wary because of the billionaire's good relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Among the Republican candidate's staunchest supporters is wealthy businessman John Katsimatidis, known as the third richest American of Greek descent. A native of Kalymnos Island, he owns the Red Apple supermarket chain, which dominates the East Coast supermarket market. The big entrepreneur also invests in the energy sector.
John Katsimatidis also owns a radio station in New York City where Donald Trump is invited, and the two men often meet at private clubs or play golf. In Kamala Harris's camp, supporters of Greek-American descent are certainly fewer in number, but some play important roles in American public affairs, notably Eleni Kounalakis-Tsakopoulos, the lieutenant governor of California, who has considerable influence in the Democratic camp.
The Serbian diaspora is also betting on Trump
Can the Serbian diaspora influence the outcome of the US presidential election? It numbers around 200,000 people and is concentrated in several key states near the Great Lakes: Michigan, where the Serbian community represents 0.09% of the population, Wisconsin (0.14%) and Illinois (0.2%). Support for Donald Trump is prevalent everywhere.
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich even openly urged the Serbian community to vote for the Republican candidate. The son of a Chetnik immigrant, Blagojevich worked as a boxer, shoeshine boy and pizza delivery man before going to law school. In 2009, he was impeached, then sentenced to fourteen years in prison for fraud and corruption. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption and sentenced to death. Donald Trump commuted his sentence and released him.
