US President Donald Trump has intensified his attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, making anti-Muslim remarks and questioning his loyalty to the United States.
According to the Associated Press, Trump targeted the Democratic candidate during a Sunday rally supporting Republican Senate hopeful Mike Rogers.
Trump said El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official, was “on the side of the terrorists”.
He also claimed El-Sayed would “have to go through a metal detector before he’s allowed to go into the Senate.”
The president repeatedly referenced the September 11 attacks, comparing opposition to El-Sayed entering the Senate with passengers who resisted hijackers aboard United Flight 93.
El-Sayed, who could become America’s first Muslim senator if elected, has rejected accusations linking him to extremist organisations and described attacks questioning his loyalty as “shameful”.
Trump’s comments drew criticism from Bishara Bahbah, a founder of Arab Americans for Trump, which helped mobilise Arab American voters during the 2024 presidential election.
“The president’s statements are out of line. They are crossing a red line. They are racist,” Bahbah said.
