Interim. Trump calls Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist"

Donald Trump faced backlash for linking Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate, to terrorism during a rally. He labeled El-Sayed a "jihadist" and suggested he would need to pass through a metal detector to enter the Senate. Trump claimed that a Democratic victory would invite Islamic extremists into the U.S. El-Sayed responded by accusing Trump of diverting attention from economic issues and criticized the Islamophobic attacks. Senator Bernie Sanders also condemned the rhetoric, stating it stemmed from a lack of real issues to discuss. El-Sayed, a public health official with Egyptian heritage, is running against Republican Mike Rogers in a competitive race that could impact Congressional balance. He denies any extremist affiliations, while the White House defended Trump’s comments, emphasizing El-Sayed's policy proposals.