Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed’s Controversial Views on Terrorism

Democrat Michigan Senate candidate Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, also known as Abdul El-Sayed, previously suggested that the United States plays a role in creating terrorism. His remarks, made to supporters last year, have resurfaced following his clinching of the party’s Senate nomination.

In a video from July 2025, highlighted by the Free Beacon, El-Sayed expressed his views on the American response to terrorism. He stated, “I think the approach that we’ve often taken with terrorism has been to figure out how to leverage the might of the U.S. military to go in and root out certain terrorist organizations. And where that’s necessary, that’s necessary. But I also think we need to be curious about why those things happen in the first place.”

He elaborated on the concept of political violence, suggesting that there are underlying factors such as pain and lack of agency that might drive individuals to commit such acts. He remarked, “What drives somebody to want to commit such a heinous act?” and mentioned that American actions in the world create perceptions of hypocrisy, which may contribute to these sentiments.

While El-Sayed called terrorism “heinous,” he appeared to place blame on America for the “pain” that leads to such violence, which some observers interpret as prioritizing that narrative over the actual acts of terrorism.

This perspective, many argue, is misguided and fails to recognize that terrorism, particularly from extremist groups, is often a cowardly attack on civilians rather than a war declaration against military targets. The notion that the U.S. creates terrorism lacks any real intellectual foundation and aligns with a mentality that seems to dismiss Western ideals, presenting a worldview that is much more complex.

Additionally, El-Sayed’s associations raise eyebrows, particularly his ties to leftist podcaster Hasan Piker, known for statements implying that America deserved events such as 9/11. This context only adds to concerns about El-Sayed’s views and their implications.

Overall, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed’s comments and associations paint a picture that could be troubling to many voters.