Michigan Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Mocks Trump Over Repeated Mispronunciation of His Name

FARMINGTON HILLS — Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed turned President Donald Trump’s repeated mispronunciation of his name into a campaign punchline during a town hall in Farmington Hills, Michigan, on August 26. His remarks drew prolonged laughter and applause from the audience.
Trump has repeatedly attacked the 41-year-old Democrat, calling him a “communist,” a “hatemonger,” and “foul-mouthed.” El-Sayed appeared to relish Trump’s struggles with his name, saying, “Donald Trump, being incapable of avoiding noise and sensationalism, just can’t seem to get my name out of his mouth.” He then said in Arabic, “Habibi, if you can’t say the name right, just don’t say it,” before mimicking Trump’s mispronunciation and asking, “Bro, why do you need to say it like that? It’s weird and off-putting.”
El-Sayed joked that Natalie Harp, a Trump aide often seen alongside the president, would show Trump the clip and “he’s going to be so mad.” The line drew about 10 seconds of laughter and applause. Beyond the jokes, El-Sayed extended his criticism to Trump’s economic policies, accusing him of turning tariffs into a matter of personal ego, and dismissed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers as someone who would simply “rubber-stamp” Trump’s agenda.
The clip of El-Sayed’s remarks went viral on social media. Supporters called it “hilarious” and urged Michigan voters to back him, while critics questioned the mockery and pointed to other controversies surrounding El-Sayed.