President Donald Trump sharply criticized progressive U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed following his narrow victory in the Michigan Democratic primary, declaring the winner a “man of hate” who despises Jews and Israel.
Trump made the remarks during an event in Las Vegas on Wednesday, stating: “He doesn’t love Israel; he doesn’t love Jewish people. He hates them. He hates them with a passion that burns in his heart.”
The president added that polls had incorrectly predicted a landslide victory for El-Sayed, who defeated establishment candidate Haley Stevens despite her lead over Republican opponents.
“The polls were wrong again last night when they thought it would be a landslide victory for a hater of Jews and a hater of Israel,” Trump said. “This guy hates Jews,” he continued. “Somebody said, ‘Oh, that’s a little strong.’ No, he hates Jews, and hates Israel.”
Trump also declared: “Abdul El-Sayed, can you believe this? This could only happen to me. Abdul El-Sayed, lovely gentleman. He’s a man of hate, and now he’s going around saying, ‘Oh, I love everybody.’ He doesn’t love everybody. Put him in office, and you’re going to find out what he loves!”
El-Sayed, 41, has faced widespread criticism for his far-left progressive values. His narrow victory is viewed by some as another setback for the Democratic establishment’s efforts to prevent the party from being dominated by extremist factions.
Trump continued: “He doesn’t love Israel; he doesn’t love Jewish people. He hates them. He hates them with a passion that burns in his heart, and there’s not a frickin’ thing he can do about it.”
The president also quipped: “When I watch Abdul, he’s full of st!” to laughter and applause.
El-Sayed will face 63-year-old Republican Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Speaking to his supporters on Wednesday, El-Sayed invoked his Muslim faith when asked how he would defeat Rogers: “I want you to remind them that if we come through this — inshallah — that we’ll have taken $70 million on the chin and kept fighting back.”
The term “inshallah” means “God willing” in Arabic.
