A heated exchange on Fox News between host Jesse Watters and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, discussing gender-affirming surgery for minors, took a personal turn when El-Sayed asked Watters if he was circumcised. The incident occurred during a segment on "Jesse Watters Primetime" on August 25, 2026, where the debate centered on parental rights in healthcare decisions for children.
El-Sayed, a doctor and former public health official, was pressed by Watters on his stance regarding sex change surgeries for minors. El-Sayed initially stated that the government should not dictate healthcare choices. Watters responded by asking if it was acceptable for a parent to have a child undergo "castration." El-Sayed then countered by asking Watters, "Are you circumcised?"
Watters expressed surprise, calling the question personal and distinguishing it from circumcision. El-Sayed argued that the issue was about parental and medical decisions, not governmental interference. "It's a problem that you think you should get to decide what happens between a parent, a doctor, and a patient," El-Sayed retorted.
The exchange quickly drew criticism from Republican figures and conservative commentators. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson called El-Sayed's comparison "insane," a sentiment echoed by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who described it as "typical of the radical left."
Mike Davis, an ally of former President Donald Trump, suggested the comment had "guaranteed" El-Sayed's defeat in his upcoming election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers. A spokesperson for Turning Point USA, Andrew Kolvet, also condemned the comparison, stating, "Circumcision and castration are not the same, Abdul!"
Gender-affirming surgery for minors is currently banned in 27 states, though it remains legal in Michigan. Many of these bans are subjects of ongoing legal challenges. In June 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Skrmetti that state-level bans do not violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, allowing most prohibitions to remain in effect. Gender-affirming care encompasses a range of treatments, including mental health support and medical or surgical interventions for transgender individuals.
