President Donald Trump attacked Abdul El-Sayed hours after his primary win. He accused the Michigan Senate candidate of hating Jews and Israel. Trump made the remarks at a campaign-style event in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The event was meant to promote the “no tax on tips” provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but Trump used it to also criticize El-Sayed instead.
Donald Trump lashes out at Abdul El-Sayed after Michigan election
Donald Trump claimed pre-election polls had wrongly predicted a landslide win for “a hater of Jews and a hater of Israel.” He doubled down when addressing pushback on his language. “This guy hates Jews,” Trump said. “Somebody said, ‘Oh that’s a little strong.’ No, he hates Jews and hates Israel.”
The president also accused Abdul El-Sayed of hiding his true views behind claims of tolerance. “Abdul El-Sayed, can you believe this?” Donald Trump said. “He’s a man of hate, and now he’s going around saying, ‘Oh I love everybody.’ He doesn’t love everybody. Put him in office, and you’re going to find out what he loves.”
Trump added that El-Sayed hates Jewish people and Israel “with a burning passion in his heart,” and said there was nothing the Senate candidate could do to change that. The former then pivoted to criticizing progressive policies as socialist and communist, using the moment to attack the latter again. “When I watch Abdul, he’s full of sh*t,” Trump said.
Trump made these comments just hours after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. Earlier Wednesday, the president had also criticized El-Sayed’s win on Truth Social, calling it “a victory for Republicans.” El-Sayed will now face former Rep. Mike Rogers in November’s general election.
Moreover, El-Sayed has faced repeated accusations of antisemitism, which he denies. He says his criticism is directed at Israeli government policy, not Jewish people. Now, El-Sayed’s win makes him the first progressive candidate to secure a statewide primary victory in Michigan, a state Trump carried in 2024. His campaign centered on healthcare, the economy, and ending unconditional military aid to Israel.
