Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed stated Sunday that Democrats are willing to collaborate with President Donald Trump to assist the American public, provided the president demonstrates a serious intent to govern. However, El-Sayed warned that if Trump opts for “foolishness,” he will find no willing partners among Democrats in Congress.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on ABC’s “This Week,” El-Sayed criticized several of the president’s policy directions, pointing to the conflict in Iran that previous administrations had consistently avoided as a bad idea. He also highlighted the potential fallout of entering a tariff war with Canada and condemned proposed cuts to Medicaid aimed at funding tax breaks for wealthy Americans. Let’s talk about the foolishness of gutting Medicaid to pass tax cuts for the richest people in America.
Addressing the ongoing administration shifts, El-Sayed noted that if Trump chooses to continue on an unserious path, he will employ figures like Stephen Miller to direct the White House and face the consequences of those choices. Trump announced on Friday that Miller, currently the White House deputy chief of staff, will replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff starting Monday.
El-Sayed secured his historic victory in Michigan’s Senate race last Tuesday, making him set to become the nation’s first Muslim senator. Throughout his campaign, he centered his platform on three core commitments: removing dark money from politics, increasing financial security for everyday families, and passing Medicare for All.
The Senate race saw intense debate during both a contentious primary against fellow Democrat Haley Stevens and a tight general election battle against former Republican Representative Mike Rogers. A defining factor was foreign policy and U.S. support for Israel, an area where El-Sayed has remained a vocal critic of the Israeli government and U.S. military assistance.
When asked on “This Week” whether he had received a concession or congratulatory message from his Republican rival, El-Sayed indicated he had not heard from Rogers, suggesting his opponent had likely caught a flight to Florida following the election outcome. Charged with possession of child pornography, thomas Markle Sr. arrested. Captain identified after deadly Florida Learjet crash.
Despite his sharp critiques of the administration, El-Sayed reiterated his willingness to work with Trump if it advances his core platform. He quipped that if the president wanted to introduce “Trump Care for All” to guarantee universal healthcare coverage and affix his name to it, he would fully support the effort.
The discussion also touched on internal Democratic leadership. Questioned about his past critiques of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, El-Sayed explained that while they found common ground during the campaign, he is not offering an automatic endorsement for Schumer to lead the party in the Senate. Instead, he expressed interest in seeing who else might enter the race, naming Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen as a candidate he respects, even though Van Hollen has not launched a bid. El-Sayed stressed that he is looking for a leader “who is ready to take action on day one,” adding that he has “not been impressed by what we’ve been able to do.”.
El-Sayed emphasized that his vote for Senate leadership will depend on who is prepared to act immediately to deliver on the election mandate. He reaffirmed that his support remains tied to leaders committed to eliminating money from politics, aiding working families, and expanding healthcare coverage. 81-year-old man tied up, tortured with hot syrup after being lured to home: Sheriff. “The question to me is, who wants to be the leader who’s going to make sure that we deliver on the mandate that we just got. As you know, a vote is a choice between two or more options.
Reflecting on his journey into public service, El-Sayed recalled a 2007 moment when he delivered a commencement address to his graduating college class. The guest speaker, former President Bill Clinton, urged him to run for office. El-Sayed admitted he initially laughed off the suggestion, pointing out to Clinton that his 11-letter name made him an unlikely candidate for public office. So look, if he wants to act serious, we are happy to work alongside him to actually address these issues,” El-Sayed continued. “He is the president of the United States.
El-Sayed explained that watching President Barack Obama’s election the following year reshaped his perspective on what was possible. He noted that while Clinton saw potential in him that he had not recognized, Obama demonstrated that someone with a non-traditional background could achieve national office, leading to his historic election 19 years later as Michigan’s next senator. “[President Clinton] saw something in me I’d never seen in myself.
