Full Breakdown
Trump’s “Mohammed” Misnaming Fuels Controversy in Michigan Senate Race
By Drooid · · How we work
Trump's Misnaming of Abdul El-Sayed and Accusations
On October 8, 2026, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed was “Mohammed El-Sayed” and a “terrible candidate,” also using the slur “Dumocrats” for the party.
Background to the Michigan Senate Race
The open seat, vacated by retiring Democrat Gary Peters, pits Arab-American physician Abdul El-Sayed against former Rep. Mike Rogers. El-Sayed’s platform includes Medicare for All, higher taxes on billionaires and ending unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel.
Polling Landscape
Recent surveys show a narrow Democratic edge:
- Fox News (Sept 24-28) – El-Sayed 50 % vs. Rogers 49 % (± 3 pp).
- YouGov (Sept 22-Oct 4) – El-Sayed 49 % vs. Rogers 48 % (± 2.5 pp).
- Trafalgar Group (Sept 28-30) – El-Sayed 47 % vs. Rogers 45 % (± 4 pp).
- Big Data (Sept 22-24) – El-Sayed 46.7 % vs. Rogers 42.1 % (± 4 pp).
Decision Desk HQ gave El-Sayed a 69-70 % chance of victory.
Official Statements & Responses
- Trump repeated the “Mohammed” misnaming and framed El-Sayed’s faith as a disqualifier.
- El-Sayed replied that Trump “knows my name is Abdul,” urging the president to “come to Michigan” and stump for Rogers.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the remarks “bigoted,” saying El-Sayed remains on the road to the Senate.
- Barack Obama is scheduled to appear with El-Sayed in Detroit on October 24, 2026.
Criticism & Opposition
- Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) called the comments “bigoted” and urged Rogers to denounce them.
- Alyssa Brouillet, Rogers’ spokeswoman, warned that El-Sayed’s “extreme ideas” would “devastate working families” through a high-tax agenda and ending private health insurance.
- Dawud Walid, CAIR-Michigan executive director, said Trump’s use of El-Sayed’s full name is a “political tactic” to portray him as outside “normative America.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Mohammed goes back to the days of the Jihad. He is a RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer, and no different from his best friend, America Hating Hasan Piker. How's France doing?” — Donald Trump
- “senator that represents everyone in Michigan, he should denounce Donald Trump for his bigoted comments right now," Farhat said.” — Rep. Alabas Farhat
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Polls differ in magnitude but uniformly show El-Sayed ahead by a few points; margins of error leave the exact lead uncertain. No data yet quantifies the impact of Trump’s rhetoric on voter behavior.
What’s Next
- October 24, 2026 – Obama will campaign with El-Sayed in Detroit.
- Early voting begins statewide on October 24.
The misnaming controversy adds a volatile element to an already tight Senate contest as the November election approaches.