Full Breakdown
Trump Ramps Up Islam-Related Attacks on Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed
By Drooid · · How we work
The Rally’s Core Message
President Donald Trump will address about 3,000 supporters at the McMorran Place arena in Port Huron, Michigan, on Oct 25, 2026. In the speech he repeatedly calls Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist” and a “Muslim Brotherhood member,” and says the candidate should be required to pass through a metal detector before entering the Senate chamber. Trump frames the Nov 3 election as a battle to keep “terrorists” out of Washington.
Background & Context
The open Michigan Senate seat, vacated by retiring Democrat Gary Peters, pits former Wayne County public-health official Abdul El-Sayed against Republican former congressman Mike Rogers, who has Trump’s backing. Republicans have alleged—without evidence—that El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization. El-Sayed denies any affiliation and calls the accusations “shameful.”
Former President Barack Obama campaigned for El-Sayed in Detroit on Oct 24, 2026, likening the attacks on the candidate’s faith to the “birther” claims he faced in 2008.
Timeline
- Oct 24 2026 – Obama rallies in Detroit, warning opponents are trying to make El-Sayed “less patriotic.”
- Oct 25 2026 – Trump holds a rally in Port Huron, delivering the anti-El-Sayed rhetoric described above.
- Nov 3 2026 – Michigan voters cast ballots in the Senate race, which will influence control of the U.S. Senate.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
- Donald Trump – Claims El-Sayed would need a metal detector to enter the Senate and likens voting against him to the heroism of Todd Beamer on United Flight 93.
- Barack Obama – Describes the attacks on El-Sayed as a familiar “movie” he personally survived, urging voters to reject the narrative.
- Abdul El-Sayed – Calls the questioning of his loyalty “shameful,” affirms his right to pray, and apologizes for a “hurt people hurt people” comment made after a synagogue attack.
On-the-Ground Reports
Eyewitnesses describe a charged atmosphere inside the arena. Supporters cheered Trump’s calls to “stand up and fight,” while a handful of attendees shouted anti-Muslim slurs and were escorted out. Outside, a brief altercation between opposing groups prompted police intervention.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Port Huron’s location on the U.S.–Canada border has produced divergent assessments of economic impact. The Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association reports a 21 percent drop in passenger crossings at the Blue Water Bridge in 2025, while local officials contend the decline is “overblown” and traffic remains robust. No definitive study has reconciled these figures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Twenty-five years later, Michigan needs to stand up and fight, just like Todd did, to stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol,” — Donald Trump
- “Are you for America, or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?” — Mike Rogers
- “We have seen this movie before,” — Barack Obama
- “Anyone with that record of support for jihadists would be screened and unable to get a seat on an airplane. They certainly should not give him a seat in the United States Senate,” — Donald Trump
- “You assume ... that because I am Muslim, that somehow I would have some allegiance to something that is not our Constitution,” — Abdul El-Sayed