In Michigan Senate race, Trump escalates rhetoric against Sayed as he tries to undermine Democrat

Trump targets El-Sayed in Michigan

At a Sunday rally in Port Huron, Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member” and urged voters to prevent him from entering the Senate. Trump also compared stopping El-Sayed with the passengers who resisted hijackers aboard United Flight 93, citing Michigan native Todd Beamer.

Trump has repeatedly attacked El-Sayed’s faith and questioned his background. El-Sayed has said he is loyal to the United States and disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood, whose branches include groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government. Democrats have condemned the allegations as attacks on his faith and Egyptian heritage.

A closely watched Senate contest

El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman endorsed by Trump, in the Nov. 3 election to replace retiring Democrat Gary Peters. Republicans see an opportunity to win a Michigan Senate seat, which their party has not captured in more than three decades.

Campaign appearances and attacks

Trump’s Port Huron visit followed appearances in Michigan and Ohio by former President Barack Obama on Saturday. Trump is campaigning for Republicans ahead of the midterm election as the party faces voter frustration over the economy and the war with Iran. Port Huron lies about 60 miles northeast of Detroit, across the St. Clair River from Canada, where Trump’s tariffs have strained trade relations.

El-Sayed had urged Trump to visit Michigan, saying he believed the trip could hurt Rogers. Rogers, who lost his 2024 Senate bid to then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin, has also questioned El-Sayed’s loyalty. At the candidates’ final debate, Rogers asked whether El-Sayed was “for America” or terrorist groups overseas.

Other disputes in the campaign

Before Trump’s rally, Rogers repeated his claim that the Muslim Brotherhood had celebrated El-Sayed’s primary victory. El-Sayed won a divisive August primary against Rep. Haley Stevens, who later declined on CNN to say explicitly whether she was still fully behind him.