Trump Attacks El-Sayed Ahead of Michigan Midterm Rally

Trump made an unsupported allegation about Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed before a Port Huron rally, as Michigan's closely watched race entered its final stretch.

President Donald Trump escalated his intervention in Michigan’s closely contested U.S. Senate race on Sunday, October 25, 2026, making an unsupported allegation about Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed hours before Trump was scheduled to campaign for Republican Mike Rogers in Port Huron.

In an early-morning Truth Social post quoted by Reuters, Trump labeled El-Sayed a “Muslim Brotherhood Jihadist” and accused him of hating Jews, Black people and Americans. Reuters reported no evidence supporting those assertions. El-Sayed has denied any affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and has previously called Republican efforts to question his allegiance to the United States shameful.

A high-stakes Michigan race

The open-seat contest between El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, and Rogers, a former Republican member of Congress, is among the races that could determine control of the Senate. Republicans hold a 53–47 majority. Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to take control, according to Reuters.

Trump’s planned Port Huron appearance marks his first campaign stop in Michigan this year, Reuters reported. The location is in St. Clair County, where Trump won more than 66% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. It also places him near the Canadian border as his administration’s tariff dispute with Canada weighs on a state whose economy is closely tied to cross-border trade and auto manufacturing.

Religion and identity move to the center

The campaign has increasingly focused on El-Sayed’s Muslim faith. If elected, he would become the first Muslim U.S. senator. Rogers has alleged, without evidence, that El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and used a recent debate to question whether his opponent supported the United States or overseas terrorist groups. El-Sayed rejected that framing and said his faith should not be treated as evidence of divided loyalty.

Former President Barack Obama addressed those attacks while campaigning for El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday. Obama compared them with false claims that he was born in Kenya and said opponents were trying to portray El-Sayed as less patriotic and less American. Trump’s Sunday post responded directly to Obama’s appearance as well as to El-Sayed’s candidacy.

What the rally is expected to emphasize

The Associated Press reported that Trump’s Michigan swing was intended to boost Rogers and other Republican candidates in the closing days of the midterm campaign. The event was also expected to feature the administration’s economic record, even as tariffs have become a point of tension inside the state’s Republican coalition.

Rogers has attempted to create some distance from Trump’s trade policy because of its potential effect on Michigan businesses and consumers. That leaves the Republican nominee balancing the electoral value of a presidential rally with local concerns about costs and the auto sector. El-Sayed, meanwhile, has made opposition to Trump central to his campaign.

What is confirmed

The confirmed development is Trump’s new public attack and his scheduled appearance in Port Huron; the rally had not concluded when this report was prepared. Claims about El-Sayed’s organizational affiliations remain unsupported, and his denial is part of the factual record. Any new policy announcement or campaign commitment from the event would require separate confirmation after Trump speaks.

Sources and image credit

A high-stakes Michigan race

Religion and identity move to the center

What the rally is expected to emphasize

What is confirmed