JD Vance calls Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed a 'psychopath' and says he would lead rioters 'burning down' Detroit
From the Newshound archive · first published 27 October 2026 · last updated 28 October 2026.
Abdul El-Sayed, who fired back at Trump's 'jihadist' slur by telling a Grand Rapids rally crowd: 'I'll be Senator Mohamed to you, bro.'Donald Trump and Melania Trump, pictured with whom he warned 'hordes of jihadis' would enter the US if Democrats win Michigan's Senate seat, which El-Sayed would enter as the first Muslim senator if he wins on 3…
Vance flew to Howell, Michigan on Tuesday to attack Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed as a "psychopath" who has "zero attachment" to America and pushes "anti-white racial hatred." The vice president linked El-Sayed to riots in France, claiming he and streamer Hasan Piker would lead rioters "burning down" Detroit. El-Sayed, born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrants, had previously claimed Egyptian citizenship, which his campaign has since called an "error." The race is now essentially tied one week from Election Day.
Vance was also asked if El-Sayed was a "jihadist" — as Trump reportedly suggested Monday — and said the Democrat had "a lot of weird friends."
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno piled in, accusing El-Sayed of selling "open borders, antisemitism, sharia law, and policies that ship auto jobs to China."
Jewish actor Mandy Patinkin pushed back, urging Michigan Jews to vote for El-Sayed and warning that attacks on him echo historic discrimination against Jewish people.
