On Monday, August 11th, 2026, United States President Donald Trump referred to Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections as “jihadists” during remarks made in the Oval Office. This comment appeared to target Muslim Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who recently won the Michigan Democratic primary for Senate, a significant victory seen as a blow to AIPAC.

Trump stated, “We have jihadists being elected all over the place, whether it’s communism [or] jihadism,” adding that a friend suggested he use the term “jihadist.” He also shared a photo on Truth Social of El-Sayed before a gathering with women in headscarves, captioned, “They are coming for your home and your belongings.”

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), condemned Trump’s rhetoric as hateful and dangerous, saying it “is putting a target on the back of Muslim elected officials across our nation” and fueling a rise in anti-Muslim bigotry documented over the past three years.

This development comes less than 90 days before the midterm elections, where all 435 House seats and 34 Senate seats are contested. Democrats face internal divisions between moderate leaders and progressive factions, some of whom are increasingly viewed as a threat to Washington’s national security establishment.

Additionally, reports indicate that Trump took a secret flight from Turkiye to avoid a perceived threat from Iran.

Sources