Muslim Brotherhood Ties Raise Doubts Over El-Sayed's Senate Foreign Relations Bid

Abdul El-Sayed's history of backing Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators in Egypt is now causing serious concern within Congress. A former staffer from the left-leaning Michigan Senate candidate claims El-Sayed is positioning himself for a spot on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should he win this November election. Two Republican members of that panel have stated there is absolutely no room on the committee for the radical views attributed to El-Sayed. He has linked arms with controversial streamer Hasan Piker but tried throughout his race to separate himself from the socialist wing of the Democratic Party.

Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, who sits on the powerful Foreign Relations Committee, told Fox News Digital that a man with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood should not come anywhere near the U.S. Senate. He added that this is especially true for the Foreign Relations Committee. Lee pointed out that El-Sayed cheered their takeover of Egypt fifteen years ago and campaigns alongside people who claim America deserved 9/11. Senator Dave McCormick, R-Pa., another member of the committee, responded to the controversy on X over the weekend.

McCormick questioned why El-Sayed wants a seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when his stated platform focuses entirely on affordability. He noted that someone with such radical views has no business sitting on that panel. McCormick's post followed a report by The Midwesterner featuring comments from Jordan Domingue, who served as El-Sayed's security chief during his 2018 campaign for Michigan governor. Domingue wrote on X that it is extremely difficult to comprehend how dangerous this situation could become if he is elected. He found it especially troubling knowing that despite having no foreign policy experience, the candidate really wants a seat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Back in 2011, while working as an assistant professor at Columbia University, El-Sayed wrote an op-ed for The Huffington Post urging the Obama administration to support protesters associated with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. He argued that supporting those protesters was in the U.S. interest and claimed that even if the group overthrew Egypt's government, the resulting state would not necessarily resemble Iran. He stated it is in America's interest to support Egyptian protesters' efforts to achieve the ability to speak their mind and have a say in how they are governed. El-Sayed wrote that if the U.S. truly wants to be the beacon of justice and liberty that it claims it does, it would behoove the Obama administration to fall decisively behind the protesters in Egypt.

In a recent town hall, however, El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrant parents, said he disavows the Muslim Brotherhood. His campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital's request regarding his 2011 op-ed about those protesters. The Muslim Brotherhood-backed government took power in Egypt in 2012 but was ousted by the military in 2013. Hosts of the 'Pod Save America' podcast have warned El-Sayed to tone down what they called condescension regarding questions about the Muslim Brotherhood.

Throughout his campaign, El-Sayed has emphasized healthcare, lowering gas and grocery prices, and addressing the cost-of-living crisis as noted by McCormick in his post about the candidate's reported interest in the Foreign Relations Committee. He said during his primary campaign against Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow that it shouldn't be this hard to get by in the richest, most powerful country in the world. McCormick wonders why given that context El-Sayed would be gunning for a spot on a committee that deals solely with issues related to U.S. foreign relations.