Trump likens Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to 9/11 attackers at Michigan rally

President Donald Trump addressed a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, warning voters that a "jihadist, Muslim Brotherhood member" could become a U.S. senator if Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed wins. Trump invoked the September 11 attacks, saying Michigan must "stand up and fight, just like Todd did, to stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol," and suggested El-Sayed would need to pass through a metal detector to enter the Senate.

El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim elected to the Senate if victorious, rejected the accusations and, in a campaign advertisement, said, "Faith is a thing there's just too little of in Washington." Former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican contender, has alleged without evidence that El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim the candidate called "shameful."

Rogers told NBC's "Meet the Press" that El-Sayed had not answered questions about the allegations and described him as a "Democrat Socialist of America-aligned candidate" with "radical support groups" opposed to America. Trump later praised Rogers on Fox News, calling him "an amazing senator" and "solid as a rock. Apple pie."

The race is viewed as pivotal for control of the Senate, with Democrats needing a small number of seats to overturn the current Republican majority. Former President Barack Obama also campaigned in Michigan, criticizing the attacks on El-Sayed as attempts to portray him as unpatriotic.