Trump holds Mississippi rally, faces backlash over 9/11 comments

In late October 2026, Donald Trump held a series of campaign rallies in Michigan, not Mississippi, where he faced significant backlash for comments invoking the September 11th attacks while criticizing U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. During these events, particularly in Port Huron, Trump attempted to link El-Sayed, a Muslim Democrat vying for an open Senate seat, to Muslim extremists, labeling him a "jihadist" and a "Muslim Brotherhood member." He further suggested that Democrats would allow violent, anti-American terrorists into the country and likened voting against El-Sayed to the heroic actions of passengers on Flight 93 during 9/11.

El-Sayed, who would be the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate if elected, vehemently denied the accusations, calling the questioning of his loyalty "shameful." He also highlighted what he perceived as hypocrisy from Trump regarding individuals with similar names involved in funding his son-in-law's private equity firm or providing a private jet. The remarks, made ahead of the competitive November 3 midterm elections, drew cheers from some attendees but also sparked disagreement, even from El-Sayed's Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, who stated he had never called El-Sayed a terrorist.