Trump weaponizes 9/11 to cast Abdul El-Sayed as an alien

By Alma Cordero · Reporting from El Paso · October 26, 2026

Donald Trump called Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a 'jihadist' at a Michigan rally, weaponizing 9/11 to cast a citizen as an alien in a dangerous act of political bigotry.

Abdul El-Sayed is a doctor born in Michigan. He wants to serve in the United States Senate. But at a rally in Port Huron, Donald Trump called him a "jihadist." He called him a "Muslim Brotherhood member." This is a descaro—a shameless attempt to cast a neighbor as an invader.

The metal detector and the slur

Trump did not talk about the health of Michigan families. He talked about metal detectors. He said El-Sayed would be the only senator who needs one. "I want him to have a metal detector," Trump told the crowd. He is using the trauma of 9/11 to target a man for his faith.

This is the mechanism of Executive Order 13769. That order used Muslim-coded language to justify the exclusion of people from their own country's democratic processes. Now, Trump uses it to exclude a candidate from the ballot. CNN reported on federal legal battles in California to block mail-in ballots.

The birth certificate is not enough

David Beamer stood on that stage too. He is the father of a 9/11 hero. He told the crowd the enemy is "right here among us." He said a birth certificate does not make you an American. He claimed El-Sayed wants to "occupy our country."

This is Birtherism. It is the weaponization of citizenship to cast a person of color as a foreign agent. It is the same lie Trump used against Barack Obama. It tells us that for some people, no document is enough to prove you belong.

The historical pattern is clear. We have seen this movie before, as Barack Obama noted. The pattern predicts that when a candidate of color rises, the opposition will question their origin. For this time to differ, the party would have to stop using faith as a proxy for treason.

The quiet complicity of Mike Rogers

Mike Rogers stands on that same stage. Trump calls him "apple pie." Rogers says he has never called his opponent a terrorist. But he still points at El-Sayed’s mother, Fatten Elkomy. He brings up her old work at a charity to hint at danger.

Fatten Elkomy was never accused of wrongdoing. But Rogers uses her name to suggest a threat. This is not a security check. It is a smear. Rogers is not a bystander. He is a partner in this theft of dignity.

The election is Nov 3. The stakes are higher than a Senate seat. We are deciding if a birth certificate is a promise or a lie. Trump’s words will catalyze a surge in hate incidents across Michigan. We have seen this before.

Justice requires a country that protects its own. It requires leaders who do not trade on fear. When the state calls a citizen a terrorist, the street listens. We cannot say we were not warned.

Trump weaponizes 9/11 to cast Abdul El-Sayed as an alien

The metal detector and the slur

The birth certificate is not enough

The quiet complicity of Mike Rogers

Sources