Trump Faces Backlash for Invoking 9/11 in Attack on Michigan Senate Candidate

President Donald Trump is facing criticism for invoking the September 11th attacks and making accusations of Islamophobia against Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. Speaking at a rally in the state, Trump referred to El-Sayed as a "jihadist" and suggested he would require a security screening to enter the Senate.

Trump introduced the father of a passenger who was on one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001, as a guest speaker at the rally. Critics, including El-Sayed and Senator Bernie Sanders, condemned Trump's remarks.

El-Sayed, who is running against Republican candidate Mike Rogers, responded to Trump's use of his middle name, Mohamed, by stating, "I'll be Senator Mohamed to you, bro." He added that such attacks distract from "real issues" like the cost of living and healthcare.

Senator Sanders, campaigning alongside El-Sayed, stated, "The reason they are using Islamophobia against Abdul is because they have nothing to say about the real issues." The race for the Michigan Senate seat is considered a closely contested race that could influence the balance of power in Congress. The seat is currently held by Democrats.

If elected, El-Sayed, who was born in the U.S. to Egyptian parents and formerly served as a public health official, would be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He has consistently denied any connections to extremist groups.

Opponents of El-Sayed have attempted to link him to the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that Trump's administration designated certain chapters of as foreign terrorist organizations. Scrutiny has focused on past writings by El-Sayed and his family members. A 2012 social media post by El-Sayed's half-sister appeared to reference ties to the group, stating, "my family has long been MB." El-Sayed's campaign has previously distanced him from comments made by his sister.

Additionally, an opinion piece El-Sayed wrote for the Huffington Post in 2011 acknowledged concerns that "supporting democracy in Egypt might allow the country to fall to the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood." In 2012, he also allegedly signed an open letter from Egyptian Americans urging Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president and a leader within the Muslim Brotherhood, to reform media and police following the Arab Spring. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood and has affirmed his loyalty to the United States, stating "Absolutely" when asked recently if he would disavow the organization.

Interestingly, Rogers, El-Sayed's opponent, appeared to advocate for cautious engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood in 2012. At the time, Rogers was a U.S. representative and chair of the House Intelligence Committee. He told Reuters, "Do I think there are moderate Muslim Brotherhood individuals we are going to have to reach out to and talk to? Yes but we are going to have to watch it carefully."