Far-left Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for remarks he made following an antisemitic attack on a Detroit-area synagogue.
El-Sayed acknowledged that his attempt to provide “broader context” in the immediate aftermath was a mistake.
He addressed the controversy Saturday while speaking before the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, whose members had expressed concerns about his candidacy and links to Islamism.
In March, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove a truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, injuring a security guard in what authorities described as a targeted attack against Jews.
El-Sayed condemned the violence at the time, saying there was “never a justification for attacking innocent people,” but added that “violence is a cycle” and “hurt people hurt people.”
NYT: “‘I Made a Mistake’: El-Sayed Apologizes for Comment About Synagogue Attack” https://t.co/8nq2xq8XN3 via @NYTimes
— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) August 29, 2026
On Saturday, he apologized for including those remarks.
“I made a mistake,” El-Sayed said. “I should have issued a statement, of course condemning it, and it just should have been the full stop.”
“If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry. That was not what I intended.”
El-Sayed now apologizing for his statement post-synagogue attack.
Back in March, we reported how El-Sayed defended the rhetoric: “Leadership is being willing to say the thing if you believe it to be true that nobody else is going to say.” pic.twitter.com/c3eKAWvLOJ
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) August 29, 2026
Watch the clip below:
Abdul El-Sayed — who said “hurt people do hurt people” after the Hezbollah-inspired terrorist attack on Temple Israel in Michigan — is now trying to defend his comment:
“What I was trying to do is offer context…” pic.twitter.com/t0jII95CMx
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 29, 2026
The apology comes as El-Sayed attempts to bolster relations with Jewish Democrats following his primary victory over pro-Israel Rep. Haley Stevens.
The 41-year-old has repeatedly attacked Israel, describing its government “evil,” while making opposition to the influence American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) a prominent part of his primary campaign.
He has also faced scrutiny over his close relationship with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who campaigned alongside him during the primary, as well as his links to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and a variety of Islamists.
El-Sayed has since said Piker will not campaign with him ahead of November and emphasized that nobody outside his campaign speaks on his behalf.
“All Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence,” El-Sayed said in response to Piker’s remarks.
He will face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in November in a race that could help determine control of the Senate.
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