An investigation by Al Jazeera has documented a widespread campaign on X attacking Abdul El-Sayed following his victory in Michigan’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. The coordinated effort involved thousands of accounts spreading material that reframed his electoral success as a religious and ideological threat to the nation.
The campaign originated with clips of El-Sayed using the Arabic phrase “inshallah,” which translates to “God willing,” during his election night remarks. In his original context, the phrase appeared in remarks about hoping his victory would demonstrate that money alone does not determine election outcomes in the United States. However, the phrase was removed from this context and presented as evidence of a coordinated religious takeover of the country. Right-wing influencer Benny Johnson initiated the trend with a clip that accumulated over 193,000 views, framing El-Sayed as a “Muslim Socialist Candidate.” Additional accounts and far-right figures amplified similar messaging, with the network of activity including 1,966 accounts and over 2,500 connections within the first 24 hours.
The attacks expanded to include selectively edited quotes from El-Sayed’s previous statements and unsubstantiated claims about connections to various organizations. A statement El-Sayed made in August 2025 critiquing political attacks was repurposed to portray him as violent. Rhetoric escalated to claims about “Sharia law coming to America” and accusations of demographic invasion targeting Hamtramck, Michigan, which has a significant Arab Muslim population. Political figures including Republican Senator Ted Cruz amplified allegations about El-Sayed’s organizational connections, while pro-Israel groups expressed concern about his candidacy.
President Trump subsequently entered the discussion, attacking candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America before directly targeting El-Sayed with accusations of antisemitism and claims he would bring harm to communities. El-Sayed responded by reiterating his commitment to Jewish American safety and emphasizing his focus on policy priorities including education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for all Americans regardless of background. Democratic leaders including Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren defended El-Sayed’s record on economic issues and corporate accountability. Observers noted that El-Sayed faced continued vulnerability to attacks and character assassination in the months leading to the general election.
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