Trump utilized the Port Huron event to label El-Sayed a “jihadist” and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, further escalating the campaign tactics employed by Republican opponent Mike Rogers. The former president went as far as suggesting that El-Sayed should face specialized security screening if elected, while invoking antisemitic tropes to criticize Jewish voters considering the Democrat. David Beamer, whose son died on Flight 93, joined the rally to question El-Sayed’s status as an American, despite his birth and upbringing in Michigan.
El-Sayed addressed the rhetoric during a rally in Grand Rapids, dismissing the president’s obsession with his middle name, Mohamed. “I’ll be Senator Mohamed to you, bro,” he told supporters, vowing to maintain his focus on economic issues like inflation and Medicare for All. Bernie Sanders joined the candidate in Grand Rapids, arguing that such vitriol serves as a distraction from the GOP’s inability to address the healthcare and housing crises facing working families.
Despite the relentless focus on his religious identity, polling data from FiftyPlusOne suggests El-Sayed holds a three-point lead. The severity of the rhetoric has even drawn criticism from some within the president’s own coalition. Bishara Bahbah, founder of Arab Americans for Trump, described the remarks as “out of line and crazy,” signaling that the intensity of the attacks may be crossing a threshold that alienates voters ahead of November 3.
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