Who is Abdul El-Sayed and Why Does Trump Have a Beef With Him?

Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, and former public health official who is running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. He is currently in a closely watched general-election campaign against Republican former congressman Mike Rogers, who is an ally of President Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly targeted El-Sayed during the campaign, focusing on his Muslim faith, accusing him of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and describing him as a "jihadist." However, fact-checking has found no evidence to support these allegations.

Born and raised in southeastern Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, El-Sayed trained as a physician and epidemiologist and built his professional career around public health. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in public health from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Before his political career, he worked as an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University and later as executive director and health officer of the Detroit Health Department.

El-Sayed has a progressive political platform, advocating for policies such as Medicare for All, restrictions on corporate influence in politics, and expanded government involvement in healthcare. He has received support from progressive politicians like Bernie Sanders. However, Trump's opposition to El-Sayed is not solely based on policy differences; it has also been fueled by Trump's allegations that El-Sayed is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and that he is a "jihadist," both of which have been thoroughly debunked.