{
  "id": 16679593,
  "title": "Islamophobia Is Trump’s Closing Midterm Gambit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/islamophobia-is-trumps-closing-midterm-gambit",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-26T23:22:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/10/islamophobia-trump-midterms-el-sayed/689168/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This article discusses President Trump's use of Islamophobia as a strategy in the 2022 midterm elections. At a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, Trump made an explicit claim that a Muslim candidate for U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, was a terrorist. Trump argued that if El-Sayed and the Democrats were elected, they would open the floodgates for jihadists and terrorize the country. However, there is no evidence to support these allegations. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood or any jihadist groups. Trump's remarks are part of a pattern of racist and Islamophobic rhetoric, targeting not only Rep. Ilhan Omar but also the Somali community in Minnesota. Trump has called Omar \"garbage\" and labeled Somalis as having a low IQ. His comments have led to disillusionment among Muslim voters who supported Trump in 2020, who are now expressing anger and disappointment. Trump's Islamophobic rhetoric extends beyond El-Sayed, encompassing all Muslim voters in Michigan, and even Jewish Michiganders who might support El-Sayed. Trump has called for ostracizing any Jewish Michiganders who vote for El-Sayed, a statement that has drawn criticism and condemnation.",
  "summary": "President Trump and his allies are ending the campaign with naked but nonsensical appeals to anti-Muslim bigotry.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}