SEPTEMBER 3: Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed answers questions from reporters following a town hall event focused on hearing from voters on September 3, 2026 at the Oakland Expo Center in Waterford, Michigan. El-Sayed is scheduled to hold additional town halls throughout September and early October in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint and Macomb. (Photo by Emily Elconin/
WASHINGTON (TNND) —Abdul El-Sayed’s message marking 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks has renewed scrutiny of the Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate’s ties to left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, after El-Sayed declined over the weekend to distance himself from Piker.
The post drew backlash as critics pointed to El-Sayed’s association with Piker, who has appeared at some of his campaign events and has been criticized for previously saying America deserved the 9/11 attacks. (TNND)
El-Sayed posted on social media Friday, writing in part, “Today on 9/11, we remember and honor the lives that were taken from us in a terrible act of terrorism. Nothing can justify the murder of innocent civilians. Nothing.”
The post drew backlash as critics pointed to El-Sayed’s association with Piker, who has appeared at some of his campaign events and has been criticized for previously saying America deserved the 9/11 attacks.
In an interview over the weekend, El-Sayed pushed back when questioned about why he has not directly condemned Piker’s rhetoric.
You have condemned antisemitism but not called out his rhetoric directly. Why not?” Journalist Weijia Jiang asked El-Sayed on ‘Face the Nation’ Sunday. “With all due respect, this is the third time you’ve asked about a Twitch streamer in California,” El-Sayed responded.
In another exchange, El-Sayed said, “I’ve done four events in Michigan this week, you know what didn’t come up? Twitch streamers in California?”
The controversy also resurfaced past references to the attacks that have since been deleted. CBS News shared a post it said was first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, in which El-Sayed reportedly wrote on Sept. 11, 2021: “Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my faith. Tomorrow, I’ll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my country.”
Given the fact that he hasn’t done so, we can only surmise that Abdul El-Sayed and Hasan Piker are absolute partners and compatriots,” Jamie Metzl, a former Clinton-era official told The National News Desk Monday.
After El-Sayed’s message, multiple ads, not associated with either campaign, began appearing in Michigan criticizing him. One ad stated, “Abdul El-Sayed campaigned with a man who said America deserved 9/11.”
El-Sayed’s opponent, Mike Rogers, also attacked him over the issue on Sunday, sharing a video from Piker and writing, “Here’s Hasan Piker openly saying that Abdul is conning Michiganders with his scripted 9/11 anniversary video.”
When asked for comment on Piker and 9/11, campaign spokesperson for El-Sayed Cole Wozniak told The National News Desk Monday, “Abdul has always unequivocally condemned terrorism and the September 11 attacks. Mike Rogers’ attempts to misrepresent Abdul’s beliefs are bad-faith lies meant to mislead Michiganders.”
The spokesperson also noted Rogers voted against health care benefits for 9/11 first responders, including in 2010 on the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which later passed.
Rogers has responded to criticism of his voting record on social media, writing last week that the insinuation he does not support the victims or their families is “patently false.”
6
NEWDorchester County Fire Rescue responding to mobile home fire in Reevesville4
Shake Shack to open first South Carolina location at Tanger Outlets6
Rep. Mace says she wants Lindsay Clancy publicly executed as a ‘warning’3
Dashcam video shows alleged street race that led to USC football player’s arrest
