Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has pushed back against President Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about his Muslim identity. Trump has referred to El-Sayed as a “radical extremist” and a “jihadist.”
Speaking at a rally in Georgia, Trump mocked El-Sayed’s name and attacked him over his religious identity.
“His name is actually Abduladadalalalala. It’s Adulbabababababa Mohammed Al-Sayed. So his middle name is Mohammed. So I was right. He’s a jihadist….He hates our country,” Trump said.
READ: Abdul El-Sayed’s sister faces backlash over being ‘Anti-American’ on X (August 14, 2026)
Trump has also criticized El-Sayed’s political positions and associations with progressive figures. He has accused the candidate of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and urged voters not to elect him to the Senate. Trump has repeatedly referred to El-Sayed as “Mohammed” rather than Abdul during the campaign.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, El-Sayed wrote in an X post: “He says the name just fine when he’s begging the Qataris for a personal jet or the Saudis for funding for his son-in-law’s private equity firm. Wonder what’s changed?”
El-Sayed has argued that his Muslim faith does not conflict with his commitment to the U.S. Constitution. At a recent campaign event, he said the Constitution protects the right to practice any faith or none at all, and that religion should not be treated as evidence of divided loyalties.
“I’m not running to be a Muslim Senator. I’m running for U.S. Senate and happen to be Muslim,” he said.
El-Sayed also compared his experience to that of former President John F. Kennedy, who faced questions about his religious allegiance as a Catholic during his presidential campaign.
Amid the controversy, El-Sayed released a new digital campaign ad titled “Prayer,” focusing on his personal faith and vision for a more hopeful future. In the ad, he reflects on his daily prayers and his responsibility to leave the world better than he found it.
“My name is Abdul, it means servant. I pray every day. I reflect on my role in this life, on this earth. How we leave it better than we found it,” he says at the beginning of the ad.
The ad says families across Michigan pray but feel hopeless. El-Sayed argues that Washington needs greater confidence in the country’s future.
“Faith is a thing there’s just too little of in Washington. We don’t have faith in our future. We don’t have faith that we can actually fix things. So yeah, we need a few more people of faith in Washington,” the ad says.
READ: Abdul El-Sayed highlights Karnataka roots of his wife, criticizes Pakistan democracy (August 31, 2026)
El-Sayed is running against Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman backed by Trump. Throughout his campaign, El-Sayed has emphasized priorities including “Medicare for all,” “money out of politics” and “money in your pocket.” His campaign website describes his agenda as a push for an economy and health care system that work for everyone, affordable housing for all, and clean air and water.
A Sept. 17 Washington Post–Schar School poll showed El-Sayed leading Rogers, 48% to 45%, a difference within the poll’s margin of error.