Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan has publicly distanced himself from progressive streamer Hasan Piker following the resurfacing of Piker’s past controversial statements, which Republicans have used to link El-Sayed to extremist views.
Piker, who supported El-Sayed in his primary campaign, has faced renewed scrutiny after a 2019 livestream clip in which he claimed America “deserved” the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The remarks have been widely circulated by Republican groups, including the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which have accused Piker of holding extremist views and framed him as a de facto spokesperson for El-Sayed.
El-Sayed, who is Muslim, has repeatedly rejected association with Piker’s statements. In an April 7, 2026, appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” he stated: “Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified. ... [Just] because you appear with somebody doesn’t mean you agree with them on everything.” El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to requests for further comment.
Piker, who has millions of followers across social media platforms, has long been a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel. In his 2019 livestream, he argued that America’s policies had provoked the 9/11 attacks, though he later clarified in an August 2019 interview that he did not mean to suggest the attacks were justified. “I obviously don’t think America deserved 9/11,” Piker said at the time, adding that he was criticizing U.S. actions rather than celebrating the attacks.
The GOP’s use of Piker’s remarks has intensified as El-Sayed seeks to unify Democratic voters ahead of the general election. The NRSC released a montage of Piker’s past statements, including comments about Black voters and racial issues, to portray him as holding offensive views. In one clip, Piker said: “I don’t give a f* what black people care about. ... Like shut the f*** up, that’s not how politics works.”** In another, he asked viewers: “Any other black folk want to engage in radical activist language in this fing chat?”* before adding, “Suck my f* c***.”**
El-Sayed, a former Michigan health director and gubernatorial candidate, has emphasized his own policy positions, including healthcare expansion and economic justice, in contrast to Piker’s rhetoric. His campaign has not directly addressed Piker’s remarks beyond the Fox News interview, where he reiterated his opposition to the 9/11 attacks.
Piker, who has not endorsed a candidate in the general election, has framed the GOP’s attacks as an attempt to “weaponize” his past statements to undermine El-Sayed. In a livestream following El-Sayed’s primary win, Piker said the 9/11 clip had been “weaponized to make Muslims look bad.”
The controversy comes as El-Sayed seeks to appeal to key Democratic voting blocs, including Black voters and progressive activists, in a competitive Senate race. Republicans have seized on Piker’s remarks to argue that Democrats tacitly endorse extremist views by associating with controversial figures.
No further statements have been issued by El-Sayed’s campaign regarding Piker’s ongoing role in the race.