President Donald Trump on Sunday criticized Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, questioning his use of the title “doctor” and calling him a “jihadist” who should not serve in the Senate.
Trump made the remarks in response to a question from Breitbart News on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews before departing for Michigan, where he is scheduled to rally for Republican candidates, including Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
“Well, I think he’s practicing illegally, from what I’ve been told. If he actually saw a patient, it would be illegal. So it’s just like everything else. He’s a jihadist, and he should not be allowed to serve in our Senate,” Trump said.
El-Sayed holds a medical degree but appears not to have completed the post-medical-school training required to become a licensed physician. He has nonetheless appeared in a white coat and referred to himself as a physician for years.
The use of the title has drawn scrutiny in coverage of the race. The New York Times referred to El-Sayed as a doctor 42 times in a single article about Wednesday night’s Senate debate in Michigan.
Trump also addressed El-Sayed’s co-signing of a 2012 letter supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, telling Breitbart News, “He’s at least very, very supportive of that group, and we can’t have that.”
El-Sayed and Rogers are facing off in one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the midterm cycle, as Republicans try to protect their Senate majority and Democrats try to flip the seat for the remainder of Trump’s term.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Saturday, Rogers echoed Trump’s criticism, saying it would be illegal for El-Sayed to see a patient given his credentials.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login