Editorials in many major newspapers in Arab and Muslim countries were relatively restrained in addressing the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, mostly focusing on the well-known problem of violence in America. Social media comments, however, were another story, often reflecting the widespread view of Trump as an enemy of Muslims — if not of Islam in general.
There were two widely shared theories: One proposed a mo’amara (Arabic for conspiracy) in which Iran, the most anti-American nation in the region, was behind the assassination attempt. Indeed, statements from top American intelligence experts that they were expecting “something” from Iran, although they didn’t cite anything specific, were seen as further evidence.
