Second Lady Usha Vance responded to recent remarks by Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, which critics described as a "racist" jab. The controversy arose after Vance criticized El-Sayed’s stance on Sharia law during a rally in Ohio, stating that the practice would be completely foreign to her grandfather, whom she calls her "Papaw."

Vance highlighted that El-Sayed, the American-born son of Muslim Egyptian immigrants, "once argued, not too long ago, that criticisms of Sharia law were rooted in White supremacy." She added, "I'd love to go back in time and tell my Papaw that there is a man who claims to stand for working people who says not only should we have Sharia law, but if you criticize it, you're a White supremacist. That's not my Papaw’s Democratic Party, my friends."

Critics interpreted El-Sayed's remarks as implying that Vice President JD Vance’s grandfather would not have accepted Usha Vance because of her Indian ethnicity. El-Sayed responded by saying, "The confusing thing about it is that he thinks that there are some people who are more American than others because they can point to their Papaw who was here earlier," during an interview with MS NOW.

An exclusive interview with Second Lady Usha Vance addressing these issues is scheduled to air Wednesday, August 26th, 2026, on "Fox & Friends," starting at 6 a.m. ET.

Sources