Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed Deletes Old 9/11 Posts as 25th Anniversary Nears

In one September 2021 post, El-Sayed mourned the nearly 3,000 people killed on 9/11 before also pointing to the enormous human toll of subsequent U.S. wars. Earlier posts from 2020 compared COVID deaths with those from the attacks and argued that America should mobilize against public-health threats with similar urgency. His campaign said it removed all posts older than July 2023 to prevent older statements from being presented without context.

Asked about the remarks, El-Sayed called 9/11 an “awful” attack and defended his broader criticism of the wars that followed. His campaign emphasized that he has consistently condemned terrorism and the September 11 attacks.

The issue has gained additional attention because progressive streamer Hasan Piker, who has appeared at El-Sayed campaign events, previously drew criticism for saying America “deserved 9/11,” a remark he later retracted. Republicans have increasingly used both El-Sayed’s old statements and his association with Piker against him as he prepares to face Republican Mike Rogers in November.

With Michigan expected to host a competitive Senate contest, the controversy gives both campaigns another issue to fight over during the final weeks before Election Day.