Michigan’s Democratic nominee for the US Senate escalated his criticism of President Donald Trump during a Sunday appearance on CNN.
Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim and the son of Egyptian immigrants, took aim at Trump with a personal remark about his marriage to Melania, making pointed assumptions about the relationship between the President and the First Lady.
El-Sayed, who has quickly gained prominence on the left following his victory in Michigan this week, described Trump’s marriage to Melania as “rocky” while speaking with Jake Tapper.
His comments came after Trump posted a photo on Truth Social the previous night showing himself and Melania alongside El-Sayed and his wife, Dr. Sarah Jukaku.
The image was shared with the caption: “Two VERY DIFFERENT America’s.” Tapper asked El-Sayed whether he wanted to respond to the President’s hostile post.
El-Sayed replied: “Yes, you got two different visions of America. Donald Trump’s vision is the one you’re living in right now. Can you afford your gas? Can you afford your groceries?”
“Do you believe, when you look your kids in the eye, that they’re going to have a better future than you did,” El-Sayed continued as he began outlining his response.
“Sarah and I are running because, when we look our daughters in the eye, Emmalee and Serene, we want them to believe that they’re every bit as able to have a better future than the one that they could have had under the Trump administration.
Abdul El-Sayed joined CNN’s Jake Tapper for a segment on Sunday, during which he attacked President Trump and his marriage
President Donald Trump jabbed at El-Sayed in a Saturday post on Truth Social
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‘That they can live together with their sisters and their brothers in America in a way where they lock arms to build the good things that they deserve together,’ El-Sayed continued.
Then came the spiciest attack, from El-Sayed, when he noted, ‘actually, Sarah and I like each other.’
‘I don’t know about the First Lady and the President, but, from what I have heard, it’s a bit of a rocky road,’ the Michigan Democrat shared, landing his latest punch at the commander in chief.
Donald and Melania Trump have been married for over 20 years, since 2005, and share a son together, Barron.
Trump branded Abdul El-Sayed a ‘Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel’ on Wednesday after the primary win, even as the President hailed the progressive’s razor-thin victory as ‘Great news for the Republican Party.’
El-Sayed edged moderate Representative Haley Stevens by a single percentage point, 48.5 percent to 47.5 percent.
The Associated Press did not call the race until Wednesday morning, hours after NBC News projected El-Sayed’s victory.
‘As usual, the Polls were way off on this one. She was not expected to do nearly as well as she did,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social of Stevens, who had trailed by as much as double digits in final surveys. ‘Now, the Democrats’ crazy policies will only get worse,’ Trump added last week.
El-Sayed’s win, however small the margin, extends a national run of progressive victories.
Three candidates backed by socialist New York mayor Zohran Mamdani took their primaries in June, among them Brad Lander, who once ran against Mamdani for mayor and who ousted Dan Goldman as the congressman sought a third term.
Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was toppled by Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier. In Colorado, 29-year-old Democratic socialist Melat Kiros unseated Diana DeGette after nearly 30 years in Congress.
El-Sayed says a victory in November would hand him leverage over the 2028 presidential primary, and the calendar agrees.
Nine days before Michiganders voted in their primary, the Democratic National Committee’s rules panel awarded the state one of just six coveted slots in the early window of the 2028 nominating contest, meaning he will hold a megaphone in a state that votes before Super Tuesday on March 7, 2028.
