First Muslim senator declared: The new capital for Arabs in the US

Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, stirred controversy in his victory speech by taking jabs at Trump and his deputy Vance. After being called a 'jihadist', he responded with humor and the word 'habibi', which went viral.

Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, stirred controversy in his victory speech by taking jabs at President Donald Trump and his deputy JD Vance. El-Sayed, who was called a 'jihadist' by Trump, responded with humor and the Arabic word 'habibi', which went viral. The deliberate use of the Arabic term of endearment was aimed at Vance, who had called El-Sayed a 'very evil person' during the campaign. The great irony is that when El-Sayed is sworn into office in January 2027, the person expected to administer the oath as President of the Senate is Vance himself. El-Sayed, a physician by profession and the son of Egyptian immigrants, previously served as the health director of Detroit and Wayne County. His victory in Michigan in the 2026 midterm elections came despite a campaign rife with slander and massive investments of funds from external sources. His speech marks a turning point in the political influence of the Arab-American voter.