Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Tucker Carlson Defends Michigan Democrat Against Republican Attacks
Tucker Carlson is a conservative commentator who defended Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate in Michigan.
El-Sayed had criticized the wars the United States started after the September 11 attacks.
He said people should mourn both those killed in the attacks and those killed in the wars that followed.
Mike Rogers’ Republican campaign said El-Sayed’s view was unacceptable.
Carlson disagreed with that criticism.
He said El-Sayed did not celebrate the attacks or support Al-Qaeda.
Carlson argued that criticizing the U.S. response was different from supporting terrorism.
He also said Rogers was not fit to hold office.
Tucker Carlson defended Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed against Republican criticism of his views on the post-9/11 wars.
Carlson said El-Sayed did not support the 9/11 attacks or Al-Qaeda, but criticized the U.S. military response that followed.
El-Sayed said he would mourn both the 9/11 victims and those killed in wars launched in response to the attacks.
Republican candidate Mike Rogers’ campaign called El-Sayed’s position “disgusting” and used it to portray him as a radical.
Carlson accused Rogers of being unfit for office, while Michigan is expected to be a key battleground in the 2026 Senate elections.
- Who
- Tucker Carlson, Abdul El-Sayed, and Republican candidate Mike Rogers are central to the dispute; Zohran Mamdani is also mentioned as facing similar scrutiny.
- What
- Carlson defended El-Sayed’s criticism of the U.S. response to the 9/11 attacks and nearly endorsed his Senate campaign.
- When
- Carlson made the defense on Friday, amid scrutiny around the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks; the election is scheduled for 2026.
- Where
- Michigan, where El-Sayed and Rogers are competing for a U.S. Senate nomination or seat.
- Why
- Rogers’ campaign attacked El-Sayed’s comments as “disgusting,” while Carlson argued that criticizing the post-9/11 wars did not amount to supporting the attacks.
Defense of El-Sayed
Republican Campaign Criticism
Meaning of El-Sayed’s comments
Defense of El-Sayed
Carlson said El-Sayed was criticizing the U.S. military response to 9/11, not celebrating the attacks or supporting Al-Qaeda.
Republican Campaign Criticism
Rogers’ campaign characterized El-Sayed’s attitude toward the U.S. response as “disgusting” and used it to portray him as a radical.
Assessment of the post-9/11 wars
Defense of El-Sayed
Carlson argued that the George W. Bush administration was wrong to kill hundreds of thousands of people and spend trillions of dollars on the Iraq war.
Republican Campaign Criticism
The Republican criticism focused on El-Sayed’s willingness to mourn victims of both the 9/11 attacks and the wars launched in response to them.
Candidate fitness
Defense of El-Sayed
Carlson accused Mike Rogers of being unfit for office while defending El-Sayed.
Republican Campaign Criticism
Rogers’ campaign presented El-Sayed’s comments as evidence against his suitability as a candidate.
- Central figure
- Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan
- Defender
- Tucker Carlson
- Republican critic
- Mike Rogers’ campaign
- Disputed issue
- El-Sayed’s criticism of the U.S. military response to the 9/11 attacks
- Carlson’s argument
- El-Sayed did not celebrate the attacks or support Al-Qaeda
- Election context
- Michigan is expected to be a key battleground in the 2026 Senate elections
- Related scrutiny
- El-Sayed and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced attacks around the 9/11 anniversary