El-Sayed's ad says his name is Abdul and that it means servant
Abdul El-SayedDemocratic U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan, in a campaign ad titled Prayer
In a campaign ad, El-Sayed says his name is Abdul, that it means servant and that he prays every day.
“My name is Abdul, it means servant. I pray every day. I reflect on my role in this life, on this earth. How we leave it better than we found it”
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Trump calls Abdul El-Sayed "Mohammed" and a jihadist; El-Sayed says Trump knows his name is Abdul
President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed as Mohammed, starting with a Truth Social post late on October 7, 2026, that said "Mohammed goes back to the days of the Jihad" and called him a terrorist sympathizer. At an October 16 rally in Dalton, Georgia, Trump said he had taken heat for the name, that as president he can call El-Sayed whatever he wants, and that El-Sayed's middle name is Mohammad. He also called El-Sayed a jihadist. El-Sayed says Trump knows his name is Abdul and is using his name and faith to distract voters.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
American Bazaar report on El-Sayed's responses to Trump's remarks about his name and faith, including his X post after Trump's Georgia rally and his campaign ad titled Prayer.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Scripps News report, published on News 5 Cleveland, on El-Sayed's new campaign ad about his faith, released after Trump called him Mohammed and a jihadist.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Trump had repeatedly called El-Sayed Mohammed and, at a rally in Georgia, called him a jihadist. Scripps News reported that El-Sayed released the ad after Trump called him a jihadist, and that the ad puts his faith front and center.
After the quotation
In the ad, El-Sayed says families across Michigan pray but feel hopeless, and that Washington needs more faith in the country's future.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to Trump calling El-Sayed Mohammed and a jihadist, El-Sayed's ad, which Scripps News describes as released after Trump's remark, gives his own account of his name and his faith.
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More from this case
Read the full caseRogers says he does not speak for Trump on the jihadist remark
“Listen, I -- listen, I don't speak for the president. I don't represent the president. The president is going to do what he's going to do.”Read statement
Tarlov calls the Republican closing message Islamophobia
“Closing message from Republicans being straight up Islamophobia is a terrible choice. Calling Abdul Mohammed, saying he's Muslim brotherhood, saying he may have assimilated but so was the Fort Hood shooter is disgusting stuff.”Read statement
Trump says he can call El-Sayed whatever he wants
“I don't care. I'm the president of the United States. I can call you whatever the hell I want. I can call you whatever I want, Mohammed.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "El-Sayed's ad says his name is Abdul and that it means servant". First published: 2026-10-24. Last updated: 2026-10-24. https://disputeindex.com/events/6648-in-a-campaign-ad-el-sayed-says-his