Trump brands Michigan Senate rival a jihadist in Port Huron speech

President Donald Trump intensified his campaign against Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Sunday, labeling the Democrat a jihadist during a rally in Port Huron. The speech took place in a border town near Dearborn, where Trump won a rare Republican victory in 2024. He framed the upcoming Senate race as a battle for national security rather than a standard partisan contest.

Trump told the crowd that El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official, was on the side of terrorists. He stated that El-Sayed would have to pass through a metal detector before entering the Senate chamber. The president drew a direct parallel between this hypothetical security check and the passengers who fought back on United Flight 93 during the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Bishara Bahbah, a founder of the group Arab Americans for Trump, called the remarks a crossing of a red line. The organization originally helped lead presidential outreach to Arab American voters during the 2024 cycle. Bahbah now leads a group named Arab Americans for Peace. He described the president's comments as out of line and racist in a phone interview.

The president's rhetoric aligns with a strategy to generate voter turnout by presenting El-Sayed as an existential threat. Republicans are currently facing criticism over inflation, high fuel prices, and the ongoing conflict in Iran. The Michigan Senate seat is one of several key races that could determine control of the chamber in November.

Trump also targeted El-Sayed's relationship with streamer Hasan Piker, who appeared at El-Sayed's election night event. Piker has previously made comments praising Hamas and criticizing Israel. Trump said he came to Michigan to keep a member of the Muslim Brotherhood from becoming a senator. Republicans have sought to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic movement with designated terrorist branches, though no evidence of a direct affiliation exists.

El-Sayed's half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, wrote on social media in 2012 that her family had long been involved with the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed, who was born in the United States to Egyptian immigrant parents, was raised by his father after his parents divorced. He has denied any ties to extremist groups and called attacks on his loyalty shameful.

Responding to Trump's comments, El-Sayed addressed supporters at a rally in Grand Rapids later Sunday. He said he did not care how the president pronounced his name or misrepresented it. El-Sayed told the crowd that he would be Senator Muhammad to them after the election. The comment drew cheers from the audience.

Republican opponent Mike Rogers also attacked El-Sayed's faith and associations. Before Trump's speech, Rogers claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood celebrated only one victory in the United States this year, citing El-Sayed's primary win. Rogers questioned El-Sayed's loyalty during their final debate, asking if he was for America or for terrorist groups overseas. El-Sayed responded that he was proud of the Constitution's guarantee of the right to pray as one chooses.

Trump did not announce new economic investments for Michigan's auto industry during the Port Huron rally. He repeated mentions of existing investments by domestic automakers, a sector that relies heavily on trade with Canada. The president expanded his trade war with Canada recently, a move that could impact the finances of those manufacturers.

Rapper Nicki Minaj appeared on stage to urge voters to support the state's Republican ticket. Her appearance followed a brief exchange where Trump commented on her body. Trump said he hoped Minaj was not insulted by the remarks. He noted that she had been with the campaign for a long time.