President Donald Trump urged Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) to join the Republican Party after she endorsed former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat instead of fellow Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
Speaking at a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, Trump praised Stevens for showing what he described as unusual courage. He also labeled El-Sayed a “jihadist.”
“I’m happy with what she did. She was very brave in doing it. So, I don’t know Haley — I’ve never met Haley — but Haley said what few people are willing to say,” Trump told supporters. “I’d love her to join the Republican Party, actually. I think that could happen.”
Trump went on to say that Stevens had demonstrated “great and almost unprecedented loyalty to the great people of Michigan,” while suggesting that El-Sayed posed a security threat.
“That’s another important election for us. We don’t want to have a jihadist […] Can you imagine, we’ll have to put him through metal detectors […] We’ll have 100 senators, and most of them they can go direct — we’re going to have to get a special metal detector for Abdul,” Trump said. “A party that hates America cannot be allowed to lead the people who built America,” he added.
Trump’s comments came after he posted about Stevens on Truth Social earlier Sunday. He described her as a “Highly Respected Democrat” with support throughout Michigan, “especially our African American and Jewish populations.”
“It’s a thing called bravery, and few people have it like just displayed by Congresswoman Haley Stevens!” Trump wrote.
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Stevens surprised Democrats and Republicans when she withdrew her August endorsement of El-Sayed on Sunday morning. In a message to Michigan voters, she said she no longer belonged on his campaign and announced her support for Rogers:
Hey Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he’s right. That’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United State Senate today. I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign. I do not stand with Hasan Piker, who gets trafficked on our college campuses. A dear friend of mine earlier today was saying that education is on the ballot and she is absolutely right. What our students see, what our children see, and who we are as Michiganders is not hate. And is not what we are getting out from our Democratic nominee right now.
Relations between Stevens and El-Sayed had deteriorated following their closely contested primary. El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly asked Stevens to stay away from his remaining events after she urged him to “denounce antisemitic hate” over an ad criticizing U.S. tax dollars being sent to Israel.
Stevens’ fiancé, who is Jewish, also recently said he plans to vote for Rogers.
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for – News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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