Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, welcomed President Donald Trump’s proposal to end roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of the year. Trump has not provided details on how the proposed cuts would work.
“I think the president is actually right on this policy,” El-Sayed said in an interview with Morning Edition. He added that he would like the U.S. to stop selling weapons used to commit what he described as “the worst things,” including genocide and apartheid.
The United States currently provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid under an agreement that runs through 2028. El-Sayed also questioned U.S. military support for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Pakistan, saying American tax dollars should be spent domestically.
Israel and the war in Gaza were major points of contention during the campaign. Rogers, who was backed by Trump, attacked El-Sayed over his Muslim faith and opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel. Haley Stevens, whom El-Sayed defeated in the Democratic primary, endorsed Rogers days before the election amid a dispute over Israel.
El-Sayed, a 42-year-old former public health official, campaigned on lowering costs, Medicare for All and reducing corporate influence in politics. He is the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.
Asked about concerns among some Jewish and Black voters, El-Sayed said the election results challenged the idea that he had failed to win their support. “There’s always more work to do. There’s always more to build. There’s always more conversations to have,” he said.
Sources: NPR Politics.