President Trump smears Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed as a "jihadist" and casts suspicion on his faith
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At a rally in Port Huron, President Donald Trump hurled anti-Muslim attacks at Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, calling him a "jihadist" and implying he was a security threat, sparking condemnation from an Arab-American group.
President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a rally in Port Huron, branding the former Detroit health official a "jihadist" who was "on the side of the terrorists" and claiming he would "have to go through a metal detector before he's allowed to go into the Senate." Trump also dragged in the September 11 attacks, grotesquely comparing efforts to keep El-Sayed out of the chamber to the passengers who fought back against hijackers on United Flight 93.
El-Sayed, who would become the first Muslim senator if elected, rejected any extremist links and called the accusations "shameful." A spokesperson for his campaign said the comments were "desperate, bad-faith attacks" and underscored El-Sayed's focus on lowering costs and confronting corruption in Washington.
Bishara Bahbah, founder of Arab Americans for Trump (now Arab Americans for Peace), said the president's remarks crossed a red line and were unacceptable to Arab and Muslim communities. "The president of the United States saying that about a person because of his religion is just not acceptable," Bahbah said.
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who is also running for the seat, has repeatedly questioned El-Sayed's loyalty, asking whether he is "for America, or for these terrorist groups overseas?" El-Sayed called that line of attack "shameful" and said he was proud of the Constitution's guarantee of religious freedom.
Trump's remarks came as he tried to drive turnout by portraying Democratic opponents as existential threats, a strategy that has repeatedly leaned on references to the Muslim Brotherhood despite no evidence linking El-Sayed to the group. The rally also featured a performance by rapper Nicki Minaj, after which Trump made a remark about her appearance that drew further media attention.