‘I Don’t Care’: President Trump Doubles Down Amid Criticism Over El-Sayed Nickname

“You know, I took a lot of heat for calling him Mohammed,” Trump said. “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.”

Muslim advocacy groups have long accused the president of demeaning their communities, and a report this year from the Council on American-Islamic Relations linked rising anti-Muslim sentiment partly to his immigration enforcement, according to Reuters.

Nine days earlier, Trump had aimed the same name at Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee the night before a debate, according to the Associated Press (AP). He called the candidate “Mohammed El-Sayed” and branded him a “RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer” who “goes back to the days of the Jihad,” according to a post on Truth Social.

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Just his plain speaking is so far beyond any other politician right now and maybe ever. It’s hilarious and resonates with sane, emotionally intelligent people. It folds everyone else.

— Marvin Maynard (@JunebugMalarky) October 17, 2026

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MOHAMMAD IS

PERCENT CORRECT THERE IS NO ROOM IN AMERICA FOR ISLAM

— darla miller (@darla_mill1680) October 11, 2026

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To the people of Michigan: Mohamed El-Sayed is bad news. He’s a Muslim radical. He’s a Muslim Brotherhood member, even though he denies it,” Trump said in the video posted on Thursday. “All you have to do is look at his past correspondence, and we cannot take a chance on having this guy be in the United States Senate.”

Trump went on to endorse Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, describing him as someone who would help “make America great again.”

He also accused El-Sayed of hating the United States, and urged Michigan voters not to elect him.

“Mohammed is about making America terrible like it was just two years ago. We were in the Dark Ages. Now we’re in the Golden Age of America. Let’s keep it that way,” Trump said. “Don’t vote for Mohammed al-Sayed. He’s not for us, and he hates our country.”

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President Trump on calling U.S. Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) 'Mohammed': "I don't care, I'm the President of the United States. I can call you whatever the hell I want." pic.twitter.com/6SG6LMSDdz

— CSPAN (@cspan) October 16, 2026

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