President Donald Trump used a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, November 1, to attack Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, repeatedly calling him a 'jihadist' and making comments about his Muslim faith, according to The Times of India. The remarks came just two days before Tuesday's midterm elections.
The Michigan Senate race between El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers is one of the closest contests in the country, and the outcome could determine which party controls the Senate next year. Trump traveled to Iowa as part of a final weekend swing through states with competitive races.
What Trump Said at the Iowa Rally
Trump told the crowd that voting for El-Sayed would be a mistake.
'If you vote for this jihadist lunatic that wants to destroy you, you're crazy,' Trump said, as reported by The Times of India. He also joked that Congress would need to 'get a special metal detector for Abdul' if the candidate were elected.
The Guardian described the remarks as a racially charged attack on El-Sayed, noting that Trump referenced the candidate's Muslim faith more than once during the event. El-Sayed is a physician and former Detroit health director who has positioned himself as a progressive in the mold of the party's left wing.
Trump Praises Rogers as 'Apple Pie'
Trump contrasted El-Sayed with Rogers, offering an endorsement wrapped in plain-spoken Americana.
'Mike Rogers is apple pie. And you know what this country needs? A little apple pie. We don't need the communists or jihadists, the Muslim Brotherhood. We need apple pie. He's apple pie. He'll be good,' Trump said, according to Yahoo's coverage of the rally.
Rogers is a former FBI agent and former member of Congress who has campaigned on border security, energy production, and support for law enforcement. His race against El-Sayed has tightened in the final stretch, drawing national money and attention from both parties.
Democrat Haley Stevens Endorses the Republican
The Michigan contest has been marked by an unusual public split among Democrats. El-Sayed defeated Representative Haley Stevens in the August primary, but Stevens refused to campaign with him afterward.
Stevens had called on El-Sayed to distance himself from an advertisement run by an outside political group that linked rising prices to U.S. military support for Israel's war in Gaza. El-Sayed later asked Stevens not to attend a campaign event where the two were scheduled to appear together on Sunday.
Stevens then crossed party lines and endorsed Rogers, a move that drew criticism from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer but praise from Trump, The Irish Times reported on the endorsement.
'It was an incredible thing,' Trump said of Stevens' decision. 'I'd love her to join the Republican party. I think that could happen.'
Trump Tells Voters to Treat Midterms as a Referendum on His Presidency
Trump also used the Iowa rally to frame the midterms as a judgment on his own time in office, urging supporters to turn out as if his name were on the ballot.
'Pretend I'm on the ballot,' Trump told the crowd, adding: 'Essentially, I am on the ballot.'
He said he had spent much of the weekend traveling to campaign events instead of watching football, a point he raised to emphasize how much weight he places on Tuesday's results.
Why the Michigan Race Matters for Iowa Voters
Control of the Senate may hinge on Michigan. A Rogers victory would bolster Republican efforts to hold or expand their position in the chamber, which shapes everything from judicial confirmations to farm policy and energy regulation.
For Iowa voters, the rally served as a closing argument from the president himself: show up on Tuesday, and treat the vote as a decision about the direction of the country. Trump's message leaned on familiar themes for the region, including opposition to what he called radical left influence in the Democratic Party.
El-Sayed's campaign has rejected Trump's characterization, and his supporters point to his background in public health and his family's story as the son of immigrants. The candidate has campaigned on lowering health care costs and raising wages.
Polls close in Michigan on Tuesday evening, and results in the Rogers-El-Sayed race are expected to be among the most watched returns of the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where did Trump make the remarks about Abdul El-Sayed?
Trump spoke at a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, November 1, 2026, two days before the midterm elections.
Who is running for Senate in Michigan?
Republican Mike Rogers, a former FBI agent and former congressman, is running against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, in a race that could decide Senate control.
Why did Democrat Haley Stevens endorse Mike Rogers?
Stevens lost the August primary to El-Sayed and had refused to campaign with him after a dispute over an outside group's advertisement linking rising prices to U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza. She endorsed Rogers on Sunday.
What did Trump say about the midterm elections?
Trump urged supporters to treat the midterms as a referendum on his presidency, saying: 'Pretend I'm on the ballot. Essentially, I am on the ballot.'