Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing renewed scrutiny after previously published statements attributed to his half-sister described longstanding family connections to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, contradicting his televised denial of such ties and prompting criticism from Republican opponent Mike Rogers.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing questions about his family’s reported connections to the Muslim Brotherhood after a review of social media statements attributed to his half-sister, University of Chicago professor Eman Abdelhadi, appeared to conflict with his public denial that he or his relatives had ties to the Islamist organization.
The controversy intensified Monday, Oct. 12, following a Washington Free Beacon investigation identifying statements Abdelhadi reportedly published in 2012 and 2013 describing family members who belonged to or supported the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. The posts surfaced after El-Sayed rejected allegations concerning the organization during an appearance Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.
The dispute has become a campaign issue in Michigan’s closely watched Senate contest between El-Sayed and former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who has repeatedly questioned his Democratic opponent’s associations and positions on Middle Eastern political movements.
During the televised exchange circulated by the Washington Free Beacon, moderator Kristen Welker asked El-Sayed whether he or members of his family maintained relationships with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Democratic nominee denied the allegation, stating that the questions were part of a Republican effort to emphasize his Muslim identity rather than debate the issues facing Michigan voters.
“You know Kristen, the only reason he said those things is because he really wanted to repeat the word Muslim,” El-Sayed said, referring to Rogers’ accusations during their recent debate.
Welker subsequently asked whether either he or his family had ties to the organization. El-Sayed responded, “No,” and repeated his denial when pressed.
The statements have attracted attention because Abdelhadi, who shares a mother with El-Sayed, previously discussed relatives associated with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, according to the Free Beacon’s examination of older social media activity.
Abdelhadi is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago whose academic work includes research on religion, gender, identity and demography. Her university faculty profile describes scholarly interests involving Muslim American communities and the relationship between religious identity and social institutions.
In a message dated June 24, 2012, shortly after Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi won Egypt’s presidential election, Abdelhadi reportedly wrote, “My family has long been MB.”
A subsequent statement dated July 3, 2013, the day Egypt’s military removed Morsi from power, described relatives who had experienced imprisonment because of their involvement with the organization.
“I have had family jailed for being a part of it,” she wrote.
In another message, Abdelhadi expressed concern for relatives who supported the Brotherhood during the political upheaval surrounding Morsi’s removal.
“Praying for all my family that supports the #MB in Egypt. Lie low, stay safe,” she wrote.
The archived statements publicized by journalist Eitan Fischberger have since circulated widely among Republican commentators and political organizations, who argue that they contradict El-Sayed’s categorical denial.
The posts, if accurately attributed, establish that Abdelhadi publicly described relatives with connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. They do not identify every family member involved, establish whether El-Sayed knew of those relationships or demonstrate that he personally belonged to or supported the organization.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that it could not determine which relatives on El-Sayed’s maternal side were associated with the Brotherhood or whether he had met the individuals referenced by his half-sister.
That distinction is significant because a candidate’s family relationships do not independently establish membership in a political organization or responsibility for the actions of relatives.
Nevertheless, the previously published statements have raised questions about the scope of El-Sayed’s denial and whether he was referring specifically to his immediate family or to relatives more broadly.
The controversy follows a series of confrontations between the candidates over foreign policy, political extremism and the role of religion in public life.
During their Oct. 8 Senate debate in Grand Rapids, Rogers challenged El-Sayed over allegations concerning the Muslim Brotherhood and individuals associated with Islamist political organizations.
Rogers alleged that El-Sayed had connections to people who supported the Brotherhood and questioned whether those relationships should concern voters.
El-Sayed rejected attempts to associate him with terrorism or foreign extremist organizations, arguing that his opponent was using religious identity as a political weapon.
The debate also included disagreements over Israel, Iran, immigration, health care and the direction of American foreign policy.
A Breitbart report examining the candidates’ dispute over alleged terrorism-related contributions criticized El-Sayed’s responses to questions about campaign donations and associations.
However, the allegation that a candidate failed to adequately answer a question about financial contributions is not proof that terrorist organizations donated to his campaign. Establishing such a claim would require identifying specific contributions, their sources and any applicable violations of campaign finance or terrorism financing laws.
El-Sayed’s campaign has also addressed questions concerning his personal religious observance.
In August, campaign representatives discussed his adherence to Islamic religious practices, confirming that his Muslim faith continues to inform aspects of his private life.
Personal religious observance is distinct from advocating that religious rules replace American law. The available reporting does not establish that El-Sayed has proposed implementing Islamic religious law as a government legal system.
The renewed controversy instead centers on the historical activities of relatives and the extent to which El-Sayed’s statements accurately described those connections.
According to the Free Beacon’s investigation of Abdelhadi’s family statements, the reported Brotherhood connections involve relatives through their mother, Fatten Elkomy, who immigrated to the United States from Egypt in the late 1970s.
Elkomy married El-Sayed’s father before the couple divorced in the 1980s. She subsequently married Abdelhadi’s father, a Palestinian man, and gave birth to Abdelhadi several years after El-Sayed was born.
The half-siblings grew up in different households, according to the investigation. Abdelhadi lived with their mother, while El-Sayed lived with his father, an engineering professor at Eastern Michigan University.
That family background complicates efforts to establish what El-Sayed knew about relatives discussed in statements written by his half-sister more than a decade ago.
The Free Beacon also reported that Elkomy previously worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency, an organization sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2004 for providing financial and logistical support to terrorist organizations.
The article stated that federal court documents identified Elkomy in connection with financial transfers involving the organization.
“El-Sayed’s familial ties to the Muslim Brotherhood run through his mother, Elkomy, who at one point worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which was sanctioned for funding al-Qaeda,” the report stated.
The Islamic American Relief Agency was designated by the Treasury Department because of alleged financial relationships involving al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.
Employment by an organization that was subsequently sanctioned does not, without additional evidence, establish that every employee participated in prohibited activities or knowingly supported terrorism.
The records described in the reporting do not establish that El-Sayed himself engaged in terrorism financing or criminal conduct.
Abdelhadi’s additional statements also suggest that her family conversations about the Brotherhood involved differing views on the organization’s political record.
In one 2012 post, she described speaking with an aunt during a visit to the United States and being surprised by the relative’s expressed support for civil liberties, women’s rights and religious minorities.
In July 2013, she described conversations with relatives in Egypt concerning individual liberties and the relationship between religion and the state.
Those statements indicate that family members discussed the Brotherhood’s political ideology during a turbulent period in Egyptian history. They do not establish that Abdelhadi or El-Sayed endorsed every position held by the organization.
The timing of the posts is important because Egypt was undergoing major political upheaval following the 2011 uprising that ended President Hosni Mubarak’s longtime rule.
Mohamed Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood figure, was elected president in June 2012, becoming Egypt’s first democratically elected civilian president.
His administration faced growing opposition amid disputes over constitutional changes, economic difficulties and the role of Islamist organizations in government.
On July 3, 2013, the Egyptian military removed Morsi following mass demonstrations against his presidency. The government subsequently launched an extensive crackdown on the Brotherhood, arresting thousands of members and supporters.
Egyptian authorities later designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, while human rights organizations raised concerns about mass arrests, political repression and violations of due process.
Abdelhadi’s reported statements concerning imprisoned relatives and fears for their safety appeared during that period.
The Brotherhood’s history has become relevant to the Michigan Senate race because the movement’s international branches and ideological influence have been the subject of increasing scrutiny in Washington.
Founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood developed into an influential Islamist political and social movement with affiliated organizations across the Middle East.
The movement has participated in electoral politics, charitable activities and religious organizing, while certain associated organizations and factions have supported or engaged in violence.
Hamas emerged from the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood during the 1980s and developed into an armed Islamist organization that has carried out attacks against Israel. The United States has designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization.
The legal status of Brotherhood organizations varies by country and chapter, and affiliation with the broader movement does not automatically establish participation in terrorism.
In November 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order initiating the designation process for certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters.
The order directed federal officials to examine whether chapters operating in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon qualified for designation as foreign terrorist organizations or specially designated global terrorists.
The White House described the Brotherhood as a transnational network whose regional branches have supported activities threatening American interests and allied countries.
“The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has developed into a transnational network with chapters across the Middle East and beyond,” the order stated. “Relevant here, its chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm their own regions, United States citizens, and United States interests.”
The administration specifically cited allegations involving Brotherhood-linked organizations after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
“For example, in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel, the military wing of the Lebanese chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood joined Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian factions to launch multiple rocket attacks against both civilian and military targets within Israel,” the order stated.
It further alleged that Brotherhood officials in Egypt and Jordan had supported violence against American partners and interests.
“A senior leader of the Egyptian chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, on October 7, 2023, called for violent attacks against United States partners and interests, and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood leaders have long provided material support to the militant wing of Hamas. Such activities threaten the security of American civilians in the Levant and other parts of the Middle East, as well as the safety and stability of our regional partners.”
The November order initiated a formal review rather than automatically designating every Brotherhood organization worldwide. Subsequent federal actions in January 2026 imposed terrorism-related designations on specific chapters and associated entities.
Those decisions have added significance to political disputes involving the Brotherhood, particularly as Republicans raise questions about candidates’ positions concerning organizations designated under American counterterrorism laws.
Rogers has sought to make El-Sayed’s alleged family associations a central issue in the Michigan Senate campaign.
Following Sunday’s interview, the Republican nominee accused his opponent of misleading voters about the historical connections described in Abdelhadi’s posts.
“This morning, Abdul El-Sayed was asked about his family’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. And he denied it — an outright lie,” Rogers wrote in a public statement.
“The truth is, Abdul and his family have surrounded themselves with some of the most heinous organizations and anti-American actors in history. He is too extreme to get anywhere near the U.S. Senate,” Rogers continued.
The statement was part of an escalating Republican campaign portraying El-Sayed as politically extreme and questioning his judgment concerning national security and foreign affairs.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee also circulated material criticizing El-Sayed’s alleged associations, expanding the controversy beyond Michigan as both parties compete for control of the Senate.
El-Sayed has characterized similar allegations as attempts to associate his religious identity with extremism. His campaign has emphasized that he is seeking office to address health care affordability, economic inequality and other issues affecting Michigan residents.
During the October debate, he also challenged Rogers over his own political record, including national security policies and immigration enforcement.
El-Sayed has advocated expanding access to health care, including support for Medicare for All, while presenting himself as an alternative to established political leadership.
Rogers, a former congressman who previously chaired the House Intelligence Committee, has emphasized his national security experience and criticized El-Sayed’s foreign policy positions.
Their disagreements have become particularly pronounced over Israel, Iran and American military involvement in the Middle East.
The controversy has also drawn attention to individuals associated with El-Sayed’s extended family, including his father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, who has served on the board of the Islamic Society of North America.
The organization, commonly known as ISNA, has faced scrutiny because it was identified as an unindicted co-conspirator during the federal terrorism financing case involving the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.
That designation did not constitute a criminal conviction of ISNA or establish criminal wrongdoing by every person associated with it.
Republican critics have nevertheless cited the historical controversy when questioning El-Sayed’s connections to organizations with alleged Brotherhood associations.
The allegations have been amplified by commentators who argue that Islamist political organizations are attempting to increase their influence in American institutions.
Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer, who has written extensively about political influence operations, warned in September that the Muslim Brotherhood was pursuing what he characterized as “civilizational jihad” in Western countries.
“They’ve been doing it in Europe, and they’ve been doing it in the United States. The Muslim Brotherhood is alive and active in America today electing politicians,” Schweizer stated.
The characterization reflects Schweizer’s assessment of the organization’s strategy. The allegations concerning El-Sayed do not independently demonstrate that the Brotherhood directed his candidacy or that he is participating in an organized foreign political operation.
The broader dispute has unfolded against the backdrop of a competitive Michigan Senate election with significant implications for congressional control.
El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination after a contentious primary and is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. His campaign has attracted national attention from progressive organizations and prominent Democrats.
Rogers, the Republican nominee, is attempting to win the seat by emphasizing his national security credentials and presenting El-Sayed’s policy positions as inconsistent with Michigan voters’ interests.
The contest has become a prominent example of the competing political messages shaping the November midterms, with Republicans emphasizing security and ideological differences while Democrats focus heavily on economic concerns and access to health care.
The renewed questions about Abdelhadi’s posts introduce another dimension to that contest because they concern statements made by a relative who is not herself a candidate.
The reporting establishes that Abdelhadi described family members involved in or supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood more than a decade ago, while El-Sayed publicly denied that he or his relatives had connections to the organization.
What remains unclear is precisely which relatives she meant, whether those relationships continued beyond the period described and what knowledge El-Sayed had of their activities.
His campaign had not provided a detailed response to the newly identified posts when the Free Beacon published its investigation.
The distinction between documented family statements and allegations of personal involvement remains central to the controversy. Neither the reported posts nor the family relationships described establish that El-Sayed is a Brotherhood member, has participated in terrorism or has knowingly accepted support from a designated terrorist organization.
They do, however, raise questions about the breadth of his denial during Sunday’s interview and provide material that Rogers and national Republican organizations are using to challenge his credibility.
With the Nov. 3 election approaching, the dispute places additional attention on El-Sayed’s public statements, his family’s reported history and the competing claims surrounding the Muslim Brotherhood.
Whether the candidate offers further clarification about the relatives referenced by his half-sister remains unresolved. The statements attributed to Abdelhadi and El-Sayed’s categorical denial are now part of an increasingly contentious Senate campaign in which foreign policy, national security and questions about political associations have become major points of disagreement.
Original article
Comments