Abdul El-Sayed on International Relations

Public disputes concerning relations between states, including alliances, treaties, diplomatic recognition, and the terms on which countries associate with one another.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

2 statements on this page. Dates: September 17, 2026 to October 8, 2026

2 matching statements. Dates: September 17, 2026 to October 8, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: September 17, 2026 to October 8, 2026

Condemned

1 published statement. Dates: September 17, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 17, 2026

Abdul El-Sayed

Role at the time: Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, in a statement provided to Axios

September 17, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

In a statement to Axios responding to Piker's comparison, Abdul El-Sayed said he did not agree with it and did not give much weight to statements made by a social media streamer, and redirected to what he called the dangerous policies of Donald Trump and Mike Rogers on the cost of gas, groceries and health care in Michigan. Piker campaigned for El-Sayed in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, and the association has been the subject of sustained Republican advertising.

“I do not agree with this statement, nor do I give much weight to the statements made by a social media streamer. I am more concerned with the dangerous policies of Donald Trump and Mike Rogers that are raising the prices of gas, groceries and healthcare for Michiganders.”

Open sourceTheWrap: "Hasan Piker Stands by Calling America the 'Top Dog in Terrorism' in Contentious Interview"

TheWrap report of September 17, 2026 carrying fuller quotation from Piker's Axios interview than the Axios article itself, including his citation of a U.S. missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, and his statement that the analysis "doesn't justify" the September 11 attacks. It also carries Abdul El-Sayed's full statement to Axios rejecting the comparison, and his separate Fox 2 Detroit debate remarks of September 15 on why he engages with Piker. It notes the Associated Press found evidence at least one U.S. missile struck the school, that the Trump administration has not released the Pentagon investigation's findings, and that the death toll remains unknown; the 140 figure is Piker's.

Why we used this label

El-Sayed expressly rejects it — "I do not agree with this statement" — and further discounts the speaker's standing. That is a direct rejection of the claim under scrutiny. The closest competing label is “Explicitly stayed out”, given that he pivots to economic policy in the second sentence; it loses because he answered on the merits first rather than refusing to address the matter, and the skill's guidance is to evaluate the answer given before any closing redirect.

Read statement Hasan Piker's Axios Show interview claims about terrorism, Iran, China and Israel

Defended or excused

1 published statement. Dates: October 8, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: October 8, 2026

Abdul El-Sayed

Role at the time: Michigan Democratic Senate candidate

October 8, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

El-Sayed calls the question of which country is the bigger threat ridiculous and says Israel and Iran have each proven dangerous to the United States in different ways.

“I think both of them have proven dangerous in their own way.”

Watch the original videoWOOD TV8 video of the October 8 Michigan Senate debate: the Israel or Iran question29:56-32:15 Albin plays El-Sayed's earlier NewsNation answer, asks twice whether Israel or Iran is the bigger threat, and El-Sayed answers (final answer at 32:06)

WOOD TV8's recording of the Grand Rapids debate between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers, moderated by Rick Albin. Albin played El-Sayed's earlier answer to NewsNation, then twice asked whether Israel or Iran was the bigger threat to the United States. El-Sayed called the question ridiculous, said Israel had lobbied the United States to go to war with Iran, and said both countries had proven dangerous in their own way.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

Reference point: El-Sayed's refusal to rank Israel and Iran as threats and his comparison of the dangers they pose. Defended or excused: this is that answer, given and explained by El-Sayed, who repeats the comparison when pressed a final time. Explicitly stayed out is the closest competing label, since he called the question ridiculous and would not pick a country, but it loses because he went on to say both had proven dangerous rather than refusing to address the matter.

Read statement Abdul El-Sayed describes dangers from Israel and Iran; Pete Buttigieg draws an ally-enemy distinction