A coordinated online campaign targeting Egyptian-American politician Abdul El-Sayed has intensified following his historic victory in Michigan’s Democratic primary for a US Senate seat, with far-right figures accused of using his Muslim identity to portray him as a threat to American society.
An investigation by Al Jazeera found that the campaign spread rapidly on X, focusing heavily on El-Sayed’s use of the Arabic expression “inshallah,” meaning “God willing,” during his election-night speech.
El-Sayed used the phrase while expressing hope that his victory would demonstrate that political success in the United States cannot simply be determined by financial power. However, several right-wing accounts removed the expression from its broader context and presented it as evidence of an alleged religious and political agenda.
Far-right influencer Benny Johnson shared a video of El-Sayed saying “inshallah,” describing him as a “Muslim Socialist Candidate for Senate in Michigan.” The post reportedly attracted more than 193,000 views, while another account, ALX, posted similar content that received more than 80,000 views.
The online attacks escalated, with some users warning of an alleged “Islamic communist takeover” and making unsupported claims that Sharia law was coming to America.
Coordinated Online Campaign
Al Jazeera’s analysis identified a network of 1,966 X accounts and more than 2,500 interactions during the first 24 hours of the campaign.
The investigation found that the campaign relied heavily on reposting and amplifying messages initially promoted by a relatively small number of influential accounts.
Some accounts also circulated an out-of-context video in which El-Sayed said, “When they go low, we don’t go high. We take them to the mud and choke them out.”
The remarks were made at an event in August 2025, where El-Sayed was criticising political attacks from supporters of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.
The campaign subsequently expanded into attacks on Michigan’s Muslim and Arab communities, including Hamtramck, a city with a significant Arab-Muslim population.
Political Figures Join the Attacks
The controversy also attracted prominent political figures and pro-Israel organisations.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz amplified allegations concerning El-Sayed’s alleged links to Muslim organisations and urged voters to investigate who was supporting his campaign.
The American Jewish Committee raised concerns about what it described as divisive rhetoric, while Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad labelled El-Sayed “dangerous.”
Other critics portrayed the election as a broader confrontation over religion and American cultural values.
Trump Targets El-Sayed
Former President Donald Trump also joined the attacks, criticising candidates supported by the Democratic Socialists of America.
Following the official primary results, Trump directly attacked El-Sayed, accusing him of being hostile towards Jews and Israel and warning that his election would lead to “crime” and “destruction.”
Trump’s intervention added further national attention to the Michigan Senate race, where El-Sayed is expected to face Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the November midterm election.
El-Sayed Focuses on Policy
Rather than responding with personal attacks, El-Sayed has attempted to shift the debate towards issues such as education, healthcare, employment and equality.
He has also rejected accusations of antisemitism, stressing that he is committed to the safety and wellbeing of Jewish Americans.
Democratic figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren, have backed El-Sayed and praised his campaign’s focus on working families, corporate influence and economic inequality.
Despite the support, analysts expect El-Sayed to remain a major target of far-right attacks as the November election approaches, with critics likely to continue portraying him with labels such as “terrorist” and “communist” despite the absence of evidence supporting such claims.
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