U.S. Vice President JD Vance sparked attention after sarcastically referring to Abdul El-Sayed as “President Abdul El-Sayed” during a White House roundtable. The remark came days after El-Sayed’s Democratic primary victory over Representative Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Senate race.
JD Vance made sarcastic comment about Abdul El Sayed amid Michigan election
Speaking at an anti-fraud event alongside White House deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Andrew Ferguson, JD Vance warned against a future Abdul El-Sayed administration.
He said, “We don’t want the next administration, whoever — god forbid you’re gonna have President El-Sayed in three years.” He added, “We don’t want him to undo all the incredible work that we’ve been doing when we’ve been taking out the fraudsters and saving the American people money.”
JD Vance: "We don't want the next administration, whoever — god forbid you're gonna have President El-Sayed in three years … " pic.twitter.com/eCgQna1h4K
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 5, 2026
Social media users responded with accusations of bigotry. “Amazing how openly racist the republicans lately are,” one person wrote. Another called the remarks “nonstop racism,” while a different commenter argued El-Sayed would mark an improvement over the current administration. Critics described Vance’s language as “straight up racism, bigotry, and Islamophobia.”
The vice president critiqued the Democrat on Fox News as well. Speaking to host Laura Ingraham, JD Vance claimed wealthy liberals, rather than blue-collar voters, powered Abdul El-Sayed’s primary win.
He said, “El-Sayed, he’s this guy who holds himself out as a working-class hero, is a guy who’s gonna fight for the working class.” He argued the candidate’s policies would harm Michigan’s auto industry and stated flatly, “He doesn’t have a constituency among the working class.”
Vance insisted El-Sayed, who secured endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and other progressive leaders, attracts “wealthy white liberals” instead.
He challenged the candidate’s stance on immigration and trade, noting El-Sayed has called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has opposed broad tariffs that could raise consumer costs. El-Sayed now faces the task of uniting Michigan Democrats ahead of the general election.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
