El-Sayed calls Trump's Canada tariffs chaotic at the Michigan Senate debate
Abdul El-SayedDemocratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan
At the October 8 debate, El-Sayed says the tariffs on Canada are costing Michigan residents money and calls them chaotic and self-serving, while backing tariffs used as part of an industrial policy.
“This is, like everything, ham-fisted, chaotic, self-serving, that Donald Trump does.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Mike Rogers calls for an end to the Canada tariff war; El-Sayed calls it a flip-flop
Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers released an ad on October 7, 2026, saying Canada is not the enemy and calling for an end to the tariff war with Canada. His Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, said Rogers had cheered the tariff war from the start and was changing course because of his poll numbers. Asked about the ad, President Trump said he took Rogers to mean that Canada should make a deal, and repeated his view that Canada has taken advantage of the United States for years.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Canadian Press report on the October 8 Michigan Senate debate in Grand Rapids, where Rogers was asked about his ad and El-Sayed was asked about his own past support for targeted tariffs.
Before the quotation
At the debate, El-Sayed was asked about a statement on his campaign website supporting targeted tariffs. He said the tariffs on Canada are costing Michigan residents thousands of dollars and that he backs tariffs as part of an industrial policy, adding: "We use tariffs to protect our own market".
After the quotation
Earlier in the debate, Rogers said he had called the White House and the commerce secretary that week about reaching a deal with Canada.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the U.S. tariff war with Canada. El-Sayed calls it "ham-fisted, chaotic, self-serving" and says it is costing Michigan residents money, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional; it loses because the tariffs he supports are ones tied to an industrial policy, not the tariffs on Canada.
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- People and groups discussed
- Donald Trump
More from this case
Read the full caseEl-Sayed says Rogers cheered the tariff war from the beginning
“You cheerled this tariff war from the beginning and you're flip-flopping now because your poll numbers are in free fall. Donald is the reason we're in a trade war. And he's the reason you're running. Not a serious person.”Read statement
Trump says Rogers means Canada should make a deal
“Canada has been ripping off our country for many, many years.”Read statement
Rogers says Canada is not the enemy and the tariff war should end now
“Prices are too high and Canada is not our enemy. We need to end the tariff war — now.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "El-Sayed calls Trump's Canada tariffs chaotic at the Michigan Senate debate". First published: 2026-10-17. Last updated: 2026-10-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/5997-at-the-october-8-debate-el-sayed-says