Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed apologized Saturday for comments he made after an attack on a Detroit-area synagogue earlier this year. He appeared before the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus at the state party’s convention in Lansing. El-Sayed said, “I made a mistake.”
He said he should have issued a statement condemning the attack, adding that it “just should have been the full stop.” El-Sayed was referring to a March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township in Michigan. Authorities said a man intentionally drove a truck into the synagogue and injured a security guard to deliberately target Jewish people, reports The Hill.
In his initial response, El-Sayed said there was “never a justification for attacking innocent people.” He also said “violence is a cycle” and used the phrase “hurt people hurt people.” He later said, “violence is a cycle” after the synagogue attack, then told Michigan’s Jewish Democrats, “I made a mistake.”
El-Sayed said he was trying to give broader context after the March attack
El-Sayed told the group of Jewish Democrats on Saturday that he had been trying to provide broader context. He said doing so in the immediate aftermath of the attack was a mistake. “If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry,” he said. “That was not what I intended.” El-Sayed’s apology came as some Democrats face broader political attacks, with Trump claiming the party is electing candidates he labels as jihadists.
According to authorities, the attacker was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon. Authorities said he had lost family members in an Israeli attack in Lebanon earlier that month. El-Sayed has faced broader scrutiny over his stance on Israel and Gaza. He has also faced questions about his relationship with political commentators who are critical of Israel.
El-Sayed distanced himself from left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Piker joined him on the campaign trail during the Democratic primary, and drew outrage from a slate of Democratic lawmakers over comments about American Jews supporting Israel.
Piker said that if American Jews continue promoting the idea that they are “singularly invested in Israel,” someone could eventually “take action” against American Jews. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called the remarks “dangerous and antisemitic.”
El-Sayed said he has “no plans” to campaign with Piker during the general election. He made the remarks as he sought to ease concerns among Jewish voters ahead of the November election. The controversy surrounding El-Sayed’s comments has drawn criticism from various political figures.
Published: Aug 30, 2026 07:50 am