Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, has removed an old tweet that appeared to criticize the United States' response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The tweet, originally posted on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, drew renewed attention as the 25th anniversary approaches. In the now-deleted post, El-Sayed wrote, "Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC, perpetrated ignorantly in the name of my faith. Tomorrow, I’ll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetrated ignorantly in the name of my country." The campaign stated that El-Sayed "has always unequivocally condemned terrorism and the September 11 attacks" and that attempts to misrepresent his beliefs are "bad-faith lies."
Scrutiny Over Hasan Piker Ties
The removal of the tweet comes amid increasing pressure from fellow Democrats for El-Sayed to disavow controversial streamer Hasan Piker. El-Sayed campaigned with Piker, who has faced widespread criticism for past remarks, including stating in 2019 that "America deserved 9/11."
Piker's past statements have also included defending the designated terrorist group Hezbollah and calling the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack a "direct consequence" of Israeli actions. He has also suggested that allegations of rape by Hamas would not change his perspective.
Numerous prominent Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. John Fetterman, have publicly criticized Piker's rhetoric. Several have directly urged El-Sayed to publicly condemn Piker. Rep. Brad Schneider stated it is "disingenuous for El-Sayed to try and distance himself from Piker without specifically condemning, refuting, or even just rejecting Piker’s hateful rhetoric."
El-Sayed's primary rivals, Rep. Haley Stevens and former state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, had previously called on him to sever ties with Piker. Stevens and McMorrow are now backing El-Sayed in his general election race against Republican Mike Rogers, who has emphasized El-Sayed's connection to Piker.
El-Sayed has attempted to downplay his association with Piker, stating that his campaign is focused on his policies and not on a social media personality. When pressed by reporters, El-Sayed expressed disinterest in discussing the matter, saying, "I am not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California."
El-Sayed is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. The race against Rogers is considered one of the most competitive Senate contests in the country. The campaign has highlighted El-Sayed's past statements and his ties to Piker as key points of contention.