Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed observed the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks by condemning the events as a "cruel act of terror" and mourning the victims. This approach marks a shift from his previous statements, where he used the anniversary to lament the deaths of Muslim civilians in ensuing U.S. military operations.
At a campaign event, El-Sayed led a moment of silence and released a video remembrance, calling the attacks "a cruel act of terror" that resulted in the "murder of innocent civilians" by terrorists who targeted "the idea of America." He recalled watching the attacks unfold in his high school chemistry class in the Detroit suburbs.
"We all remember where we were when the Twin Towers were hit," El-Sayed stated in his remarks. "The scenes of carnage dominated our screens for weeks. They dominate our memories still."
He emphasized the loss of "more than 3,000 kids, women, men — including brave first responders" and noted that "nothing can justify the murder of innocent civilians." El-Sayed added that the attackers "tried to diminish America. They tried to make her smaller. They tried to turn us against each other. They failed." He concluded by stating the intention to honor the lost by building "an America that is bigger, more inclusive, more empowering, more just."
This public commemoration contrasts with earlier statements. In 2021, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, El-Sayed posted on X that he would mourn the immediate victims of the attacks and then "~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetrated ignorantly in the name of my country." He further elaborated on a podcast that while 9/11 "scarred our country in profound ways, what we did after 9/11 scarred millions of other people."
The 9/11 attacks have become a focal point in the Senate race, with El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, aiming to be the nation's first Muslim senator. He faces former Rep. Mike Rogers, who previously chaired the House Intelligence Committee.
El-Sayed has also faced scrutiny regarding his allies. He has not disavowed commentator Hasan Piker, who made a remark in 2019 that "America deserved 9/11," although Piker later walked back the statement. Additionally, El-Sayed's campaign calendar initially listed a stop at a local festival rather than a specific 9/11 remembrance event, drawing criticism.
During a Republican convention, former President Donald Trump labeled El-Sayed an "extremist," citing his family connections. Trump referenced El-Sayed's half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, a University of Chicago professor, for a 2023 social media post criticizing Sen. Bernie Sanders for condemning Hamas' attack on Israel. Trump also stated El-Sayed's mother, Fatten Elkomy, worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency from 1999 to 2004, an organization the Treasury Department later designated for allegedly moving funds for terrorist activities. El-Sayed was raised by his father.
Rogers has stated that El-Sayed "has long separated himself from Team America" and would need to make a significant change in his stance to be taken seriously.