Tucker Carlson calls El-Sayed's campaign 'literally Trumpian'
Tucker Carlson called Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate campaign “literally Trumpian” on his podcast with Saagar Enjeti, released Sept. 2. The former Fox News host also said he would not vote for GOP rival Mike Rogers “at gun point,” calling Rogers a “tool of Israel and the intel agencies,” even as President Donald Trump backs Rogers.
Key Takeaways
- Carlson agreed El-Sayed’s message is “literally Trumpian,” after Enjeti called it “almost Trumpian.”
- He said there is “no one that should be farther from a position of power than Mike Rogers.”
- Enjeti said El-Sayed now campaigns as “America First,” citing Israel, health care costs, and a giant U.S. flag.
- The race is for an open Michigan Senate seat; Trump is backing Rogers, and last month called Carlson “totally irrelevant.”
What did Tucker Carlson say about Abdul El-Sayed?
On The Tucker Carlson Show, Enjeti argued that El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health official from Ann Arbor, had shifted from a “full-blown leftist” toward an “ideological evolution.” “I watch his campaign now, it’s America First,” Enjeti said, according to The Independent.
Enjeti summarized El-Sayed’s pitch this way: when the Democrat talks about Israel, he says Israel is committing a genocide, but that he wants to make sure voters do not pay more for health care and does not want tax dollars going abroad to fund what Enjeti called a “barbaric military.” Enjeti added that El-Sayed “stands in front of a giant American flag” and that the approach is “almost Trumpian.”
“It’s literally Trumpian,” Carlson replied, The Detroit News reported. The Independent quoted him as saying, “Well, it is literally Trumpian.” Both men went on to predict that El-Sayed was likely to beat Rogers in November, The Independent said.
El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in August’s Democratic primary even though Stevens outspent him nine-to-one after receiving $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, The Independent reported. He has pledged to oppose further U.S. aid for Israel over its actions in Gaza, an issue Carlson has also emphasized.
Why is Carlson attacking Republican Mike Rogers?
Rogers, of White Lake Township, is a former U.S. Army officer and FBI special agent who chaired the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Michigan Republicans coalesced around him as their 2026 nominee after he lost a close 2024 Senate race to Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Holly. The seat is open because Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, is not seeking another term.
Enjeti labeled Rogers a neoconservative. Carlson said, “I wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gun point.” He contended Rogers was “basically a tool of Israel and the intel agencies,” and added, “There is no one that should be farther from a position of power than Mike Rogers.”
Carlson said he knows Rogers personally, The Independent reported. A Rogers campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to The Detroit News.
Carlson left Fox News in 2023 and has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s foreign policy, including the war in Iran. The Independent noted Carlson has repeatedly been accused of antisemitism over his criticism of Israel, which he has claimed has an outsized influence over Washington. Trump is backing Rogers’ Senate bid and last month called Carlson “totally irrelevant.”
Could El-Sayed’s pitch scramble the Michigan Senate race?
Enjeti pointed out that Rogers lost to Slotkin in 2024 when Trump won Michigan, calling him a “literal loser who lost when Donald Trump won the state.” He said he was “genuinely shocked” Republicans nominated Rogers again. Carlson asked how anyone would run “someone like that.”
Carlson is not the only conservative to speak favorably of El-Sayed. Fox News host Jesse Watters later said he liked him after a combative interview, adding he would be “a terrible senator” and “a little bit of a lunatic,” but “at least he’s not your typical stiff,” The Independent reported.
The comments matter because they split MAGA-aligned media from the GOP nominee in a battleground open-seat race, while El-Sayed borrows “America First” framing on spending abroad. BlasterPost is tracking the story alongside other high-interest coverage in Future Tech & AI Wonders.