US midterms 2026: Trump calls Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a ‘jihadist’ at Iowa rally, hails Republican Mike Rogers as 'apple pie'

US President Donald Trump US President Donald Trump targeted Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, repeatedly calling the Michigan progressive a “jihadist” and making remarks about his Muslim faith as voters prepare to head to the polls for Tuesday’s midterm elections.Trump's comments came as El-Sayed remains in a closely contested Michigan Senate race against Republican candidate Mike Rogers. The result could influence which party controls the Senate after the elections.“If you vote for this jihadist lunatic that wants to destroy you, you’re crazy,” Trump told the crowd. He also said Congress would need to “get a special metal detector for Abdul” if the candidate were elected.The Michigan contest has attracted national attention following a dispute between El-Sayed and fellow Democrat Haley Stevens, who lost to him in the August primary. Stevens had refused to campaign alongside the nominee and called on him to distance himself from an advertisement by an outside political group. The advertisement linked rising prices to US military support for Israel's war in Gaza.El-Sayed subsequently asked Stevens not to attend a campaign event where ...