Trump Uses 9/11 And Flight 93 To Target Muslim Candidate Abdul El-Sayed In Michigan

US President Donald Trump invoked the September 11 attacks at a Michigan campaign rally on Sunday, October 25, urging voters to reject Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed by comparing the effort to defeat him with the resistance aboard United Airlines Flight 93.

“I’m here to keep a jihadist, Muslim Brotherhood member from becoming a United States senator,” Trump told supporters in Port Huron, as he intensified attacks on El-Sayed’s Muslim faith and questioned his loyalty to the United States.

The remarks came ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with Michigan’s closely contested Senate race potentially helping determine control of the chamber. El-Sayed, a Michigan-born physician and former public health official, is challenging Republican Mike Rogers for an open seat. If elected, he would become the first Muslim to serve in the US Senate.

Trump’s comments drew criticism from Bishara Bahbah, a former ally who helped lead the president’s outreach to Arab American voters, while El-Sayed rejected the allegations against him. Republicans have increasingly focused on his religious identity and alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, while El-Sayed has sought to redirect attention to economic concerns facing voters.

Trump compares El-Sayed to 9/11 attackers

Reuters reported that Trump invoked Todd Beamer, a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who died when the plane crashed on September 11, 2001, after passengers fought back against the hijackers. The plane crashed in Pennsylvania before reaching what investigators believe was its intended target, the US Capitol.

“Twenty-five years later, Michigan needs to stand up and fight, just like Todd did, to stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol,” Trump said.

Al Jazeera reported that Trump accused El-Sayed of wanting to impose Sharia law in the United States and portrayed him as a national security threat. The Associated Press reported that there is no evidence of El-Sayed’s affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim he has denied.

The rhetoric drew a response from some attendees, with supporters shouting “traitor” when El-Sayed was mentioned, Reuters reported.

El-Sayed rejects allegations of extremist links

Rogers has repeatedly sought to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, citing his past political associations and claims about his family. El-Sayed has denied any affiliation with the organisation.

The Washington Post reported that neither Rogers nor his campaign had produced evidence that El-Sayed had pledged support to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed has disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood and denied having ties to it.

The candidate has also challenged the focus on his faith, arguing that questioning his loyalty because he is Muslim undermines the constitutional protections afforded to American citizens.

During a televised debate, Rogers asked El-Sayed whether he was “for America” or for “these terrorist groups overseas”.

El-Sayed called the question shameful and defended his right to practise his religion.

“I’m proud of our Constitution that guarantees all of us the right to pray as we choose to pray,” El-Sayed said, according to the Associated Press.

Republicans and right-wing media have also highlighted two social media posts from 2012 by El-Sayed’s half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi. In the posts, cited by the Associated Press, she wrote that her family had long been associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and described her mother’s involvement with the organisation in the early 1970s. El-Sayed has denied affiliation with the group and said he was raised by his father, not his biological mother.

El-Sayed has argued that the focus on allegations about his religious and political associations distracts from issues affecting voters, including the cost of living and healthcare.

Arab American Trump supporters criticise remarks

Trump’s comments also prompted criticism from within his own political coalition. Bishara Bahbah, who helped establish the group originally known as Arab Americans for Trump, criticised the president's remarks.

“The president’s statements are out of line,” Bahbah told the Associated Press. “They are crossing a red line. They are racist.”

Trump made gains among Arab American voters in Michigan in 2024 amid anger over the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza, the Associated Press reported.

Former president Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats in Michigan on Saturday, criticising efforts to portray El-Sayed as less American because of his background and faith.

El-Sayed has also used the campaign to challenge Trump’s claims and redirect attention towards the president’s own political relationships and policies.

Michigan’s Senate race is among the contests that could determine control of the chamber in the November 3 midterm elections. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them account for 47. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber, Reuters reported.