Controversy Surrounds Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed
Democratic voters in Michigan are facing a difficult decision in the upcoming U.S. Senate race. Many are considering leaving their ballots blank due to concerns over candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s foreign policy views. Former Michigan Democratic Party chair Lon Johnson discussed these concerns with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. The conversation focused on issues within the Jewish and African-American communities.
When American forces killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, a key figure in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, El-Sayed criticized then-President Joe Biden. He accused Biden of using the operation to boost his political image instead of highlighting the attack’s significance. On August 1, 2022, Biden announced that al-Zawahiri had been killed in a U.S. drone strike. Biden stated that al-Zawahiri played a crucial role in planning 9/11, which resulted in the deaths of 2,977 people on American soil. Intelligence has long linked al-Zawahiri to 9/11 and other deadly attacks on Americans abroad.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate nominee, condemned al-Zawahiri in an essay. Despite this, he criticized Biden for allegedly using the strike to improve his domestic approval ratings. El-Sayed argued that the strike provided a ‘fig leaf’ for the Biden administration, showing that Afghanistan remains accessible for actions against terrorists despite Taliban control.
El-Sayed’s essay accused Biden of using the al-Zawahiri killing to boost political standing before midterm elections. He suggested that if Biden were serious about showing strength in the Middle East, he would challenge autocratic allies of the United States. While critical of Biden’s actions, El-Sayed did not mince words in condemning al-Zawahiri, calling him a ‘craven terrorist’ responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians.
The Washington Free Beacon first reported El-Sayed’s essay. El-Sayed has previously criticized other U.S. military and counterterrorism efforts. When President Donald Trump ordered the 2020 drone strike of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, El-Sayed advised caution, using the metaphor “one shouldn’t kick a rabid dog.” Similarly, he described the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen living in Yemen, under President Obama as ‘extrajudicial assassination.’
In addition, El-Sayed compared former President Trump to Osama bin Laden, suggesting that both inspired terrorism and should be held accountable in similar ways. Bin Laden was killed by American forces in May 2011.
El-Sayed’s campaign has not provided a comment to Fox News Digital as of Wednesday.