Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed likens Trump to bin Laden in resurfaced essay
Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed cited a 2021 blog post that compared Donald Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 riot to Osama bin Laden’s role in 9/11, urging legal accountability.
A 2021 blog post by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed drew a direct parallel between Donald Trump’s influence on the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and Osama bin Laden’s orchestration of the 9/11 attacks. Titled “Why aren’t we treating Donald Trump like we treat other terrorists?”, the piece claimed Trump “recruited, radicalized and reassured” the rioters just as bin Laden did the hijackers, labeling the Capitol breach as terrorism and urging Congress to convict Trump and prevent any future candidacy.
El-Sayed also referenced the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed bin Laden as a model of holding terrorists accountable. Campaign spokeswoman Roxie Richner rejected claims that El-Sayed advocated the death penalty, emphasizing his stance that no one, including the president, is above the law. The essay has drawn criticism amid El-Sayed’s primary contest with Rep. Haley Stevens, with Republicans using it in attack ads while El-Sayed defends his comments as a call for consistent legal consequences. Additional controversy stems from his past association with streamer Hasan Piker, which El-Sayed has not fully repudiated.
Why it matters
The resurfaced essay could influence voter perception in a competitive Senate race and shape discourse on political accountability.
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