Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed recently encountered heightened scrutiny regarding allegations suggesting connections between his family and the Muslim Brotherhood. During an appearance on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, host Kristen Welker asked El-Sayed to clarify these claims.
When questioned if he could ‘set the record straight’ about his family’s supposed links to the Islamist group, El-Sayed firmly denied any such connections. Welker inquired further, and El-Sayed consistently denied the allegations, attributing them to Islamophobic attacks allegedly propagated by his Republican rival, Mike Rogers.
Countering El-Sayed’s denials, his half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, publicly stated their mother’s involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood. In a 2012 X post, she described a conversation with their mother, who was active in the group during the early 1970s while attending Alexandria University in Egypt, a time when the university reportedly harbored significant Muslim Brotherhood activity.
Another 2012 post by Abdelhadi reflected her belief that the family’s history with the Muslim Brotherhood impacted politics negatively. In a 2013 post, she expressed concern for family members supporting the Muslim Brotherhood amid unrest in Egypt, suggesting they keep a low profile.
El-Sayed faced accusations of misleading the public during his ‘Meet the Press’ interview, with critics insisting his statements contradicted the historical accounts shared by his half-sister.
An El-Sayed campaign spokesperson responded, emphasizing his career focus on public health and safety in Michigan. The spokesperson accused his opponent Mike Rogers of employing unfounded attacks focusing on El-Sayed’s religion and family, overshadowing policy issues concerning Michigan families.
The campaign referred to accusations regarding the Muslim Brotherhood as baseless and defamatory. NBC News has yet to comment on these developments.