President Trump is not retreating from the nickname he used for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. After criticism over calling the Democrat “Mohammed,” he responded with a blunt defense that sounded less like damage control and more like a refusal to follow the usual political etiquette manual.
El-Sayed is in the final stretch of his race against Republican Mike Rogers, and President Trump has inserted himself directly into the contest. A Senate campaign already packed with partisan drama now has a presidential nickname attached, because apparently ordinary campaign attacks were not enough.
As reported by the Daily Caller, President Trump addressed the criticism by saying: “You know, I took a lot of heat for calling him Mohammed,” Trump said. “I don’t care. I’m the president of the United States. I can call you whatever the hell I want. I can call you whatever I want, Mohammed.”
The Associated Press reported that President Trump had used the same name nine days earlier, the night before a debate involving Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee. In a Truth Social post, he called the candidate “Mohammed El-Sayed” and described him as a “RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer” who “goes back to the days of the Jihad.” Political subtlety did not make the guest list.
Muslim advocacy groups have accused President Trump of demeaning Muslim communities. Reuters also reported that a Council on American-Islamic Relations report linked rising anti-Muslim sentiment partly to immigration enforcement. Those criticisms help explain why a nickname President Trump treats as routine political combat has produced such a sharp backlash.
Newsweek reported additional remarks from a video released by President Trump: “To the people of Michigan: Mohamed El-Sayed is bad news. He’s a Muslim radical. He’s a Muslim Brotherhood member, even though he denies it,” Trump said in the video posted on Thursday.
The source notes that El-Sayed denies being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. President Trump nevertheless used the allegation as part of his argument against the candidate, telling Michigan voters that they could not take a chance on sending him to the United States Senate.
President Trump also endorsed Mike Rogers, describing the Republican candidate as someone who would help “make America great again.” He accused El-Sayed of hating the United States and urged voters not to support him.
“Mohammed is about making America terrible like it was just two years ago. We were in the Dark Ages. Now we’re in the Golden Age of America. Let’s keep it that way,” Trump said. “Don’t vote for Mohammed al-Sayed. He’s not for us, and he hates our country.”
Some supporters welcomed the direct language. One post said, “Just his plain speaking is so far beyond any other politician right now and maybe ever. It’s hilarious and resonates with sane, emotionally intelligent people. It folds everyone else.” Another reaction used sweeping anti-Islam language, showing how strongly some of President Trump’s supporters identify with his approach.
A video of President Trump’s latest remarks is included here:
One supportive reaction praised President Trump’s plain-spoken style:
Another reaction offered a sweeping statement about Islam:
The most recent clip contains President Trump’s defense of the nickname and his refusal to apologize for using it:
For Michigan voters, President Trump has tied his endorsement of Mike Rogers to a forceful warning about El-Sayed. Whether critics view the nickname as demeaning or supporters see it as plain political speech, President Trump is sticking with it and making sure the controversy remains part of the Senate race.
Leave a Comment