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← Signal: State & Power

Trump attacks Michigan Democratic Senate candidate El-Sayed with anti-Muslim rhetoric at rally

Confirmed1 source · Oct 26, 2026

Trump called El-Sayed a 'jihadist' and terrorist sympathizer, drawing condemnation from a former Arab American Trump ally.

Trump attacks Michigan Democratic Senate candidate El-Sayed with anti-Muslim rhetoric at rally
Image via The Guardian

What happened

At a Michigan rally on Sunday, Trump portrayed Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed as a national security threat, calling him a "jihadist" "on the side of the terrorists" and saying he would "have to go through a metal detector before he's allowed to go into the Senate." Trump repeatedly invoked 9/11, comparing blocking El-Sayed from the Senate chamber to passengers fighting back against hijackers on United Flight 93. El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official who would become the nation's first Muslim senator if elected, has repeatedly denied ties to extremist groups and called such attacks on his loyalty "shameful." Bishara Bahbah, founder of Arab Americans for Trump and a former Trump ally, condemned the remarks as "out of line," "crossing a red line," and "racist."

Context

The remarks represent an escalation of identity-based attacks in the 2024 campaign cycle. El-Sayed's candidacy is historically significant as a potential milestone for Muslim representation in the U.S. Senate. Bahbah's rebuke is notable given his role in organizing Arab American outreach to Trump in 2024, suggesting the rhetoric has alienated at least some members of a constituency the administration had been cultivating.