President Donald Trump launched a fierce attack on Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, suggesting the Muslim politician would face difficulty boarding an airplane because of what Trump portrayed as a national security threat.
The remarks drew a sarcastic response from El-Sayed as the midterm campaign entered its final week, with the high-stakes race potentially affecting control of both chambers of Congress.
At a Sunday rally in Port Huron, Michigan, Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist” and intentionally referred to him as “Mohammed” while working to rally Republicans in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests.
El-Sayed, 41, quickly answered with a pointed joke of his own, predicting that Trump would soon be forced to address him by a different title.
“I don’t even care that he remembers my whole name because he can just go on and call me senator after November,” El-Sayed told an enthusiastic crowd at a rival event in Grand Rapids.
“I’ll be Sen. Mohammed to you, bro.”
The clash unfolded as Trump pressed ahead with an intense final-week tour across the country, seeking to energize Republican voters ahead of the November 3 elections.
In Michigan, Republican Mike Rogers is competing against El-Sayed for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters. Trump made clear from the outset that El-Sayed would be a central target of his rally speech.
President Donald Trump said Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed would be “screened and unable to get a seat on an airplane” while also calling him a “jihadist.”
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed answered Trump’s attacks on his Muslim faith and name by telling supporters he could soon be known as “Senator” after November.
“I’m here to keep a jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member from becoming a United States senator, and that’s the fact. Not going to let that happen,” Trump said.
He further claimed that El-Sayed wanted the United States to adopt Sharia law and asserted that someone with the candidate’s alleged record would be “screened and unable to get a seat on an airplane.”
Trump also said El-Sayed would need to pass through a metal detector before entering the Senate, linking the attack to references to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
There is no evidence that El-Sayed is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. He has repeatedly rejected claims that he has ties to extremist groups and has publicly condemned the organization.
The personal confrontation intensified a campaign already shaped by disputes over El-Sayed’s religion, loyalty and family history.
Republicans have pointed to earlier comments by El-Sayed’s half-sister concerning the family’s alleged connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed has argued that the accusations are an effort to divert attention from voters’ concerns about healthcare and rising living costs.
The Democrat also took aim at Trump’s recurring focus on politicians’ physical appearance.
After Trump praised rapper Nicki Minaj’s backside during the Michigan rally, El-Sayed joked about how he would respond if he encountered the president in Washington.
Rapper Nicki Minaj appeared alongside Donald Trump at his Michigan rally to urge Republican voters to turn out after the president drew attention by publicly praising her backside.
President Donald Trump turns toward an image of Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed displayed on a screen during a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan.
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‘When I get to DC, man, I’m just gonna make sure that I never let him see mine. Keep it here, Donald. Right here,’ he said, pointing toward his eyes.
Trump’s comments about El-Sayed also provoked fury from an unlikely quarter: Bishara Bahbah, a founder of Arab Americans for Trump, which helped the president win support from Arab American voters in 2024.
‘The president’s statements are out of line,’ Bahbah said. ‘They are crossing a red line. They are racist. The president of the United States saying that about a person because of his religion, that is just not acceptable.’
The controversy overshadowed what was supposed to be a major show of Republican unity in Michigan, where Trump appeared alongside Rogers and received a celebrity endorsement from Minaj.
It also came just 24 hours after former President Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats in the state, setting up a high-stakes confrontation between the two.
Trump’s relentless campaign schedule underscores the pressure facing Republicans as they attempt to defend their congressional majorities amid voter frustration over inflation, fuel prices and the war with Iran.
After campaigning in Georgia on Saturday and Michigan on Sunday, Trump is scheduled to head to Mississippi later on Monday to support Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who faces an unexpectedly competitive challenge from Democrat Scott Colom.
President Donald Trump dances as he departs after speaking during a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan. He is heading to Mississippi on Monday followed by Texas on Tuesday
El-Sayed has repeatedly denied links to extremist groups, accusing Republicans of using his Muslim faith to distract voters from pressing concerns over rising prices and healthcare costs
El-Sayed appeared at a midterm campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan alongside Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders
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The president will then make two appearances in Texas on Tuesday, followed by rallies in Ohio on Wednesday, Florida on Friday and Iowa later in the campaign’s closing stretch.
His decision to devote considerable time to traditionally Republican states highlights the party’s determination to turn out supporters in areas once considered relatively safe.
Trump has repeatedly urged Republicans to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency.
‘When I’m not on the ballot, people don’t show up,’ he complained in Michigan. ‘Please show up and vote.’
The president also revived his allegations about election integrity, suggesting without evidence that Michigan vote counters could manipulate the results.
‘We got to be careful with the cheating vote counters, though,’ Trump told supporters, singling out Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is running for governor.
‘Please, will you please watch it, fellas? Especially with Benson, you got to watch it.’
Trump also falsely claimed that he had won Michigan in three presidential elections.
