President Donald Trump used a Sunday rally in Port Huron to link the Michigan Senate race to the September 11 attacks. He leveled unsubstantiated accusations against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed while boosting Republican nominee Mike Rogers. The remarks thrust the close contest into national controversy days before voters head to the polls.
What Donald Trump said about Abdul El-Sayed during his Michigan rally
Speaking to supporters, Donald Trump branded Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist” and a “Muslim Brotherhood member” without presenting any evidence. He added, “Anyone with that record of support for jihadists would be screened and unable to get a seat on an airplane. They certainly should not give him a seat in the United States Senate.” He also claimed El-Sayed “would be the only senator that will have to go through a metal detector before he’s allowed to go into the Senate.” In contrast, Trump framed Mike Rogers, a former congressman, as the safer choice, describing him as “apple pie.”
Trump then tied the race to 9/11 while welcoming David Beamer, whose son Todd died on United Flight 93. “Twenty-five years later, Michigan needs to stand up and fight just like Todd did to stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol,” Trump said. Beamer echoed the comparison, telling the crowd the “enemy is right here among us” and calling El-Sayed “anti-American.” He argued that “a birth certificate doesn’t make you an American,” though both candidates were born in Michigan.
However, Rogers distanced himself from the harshest language during a Sunday appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. Asked whether he agreed with Trump’s descriptions, Rogers said the race is about “me versus Abdul.” He added, “I’ve never called him a terrorist.”
El-Sayed has repeatedly denied any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and has denounced the organization. His campaign hasn’t yet commented on the rally remarks. All in all, the exchange keeps Michigan at the center of the national political map, with Trump’s rhetoric now shaping a Senate fight that polls show is effectively tied.
