El-Sayed Calls Trump an Idiot, Vance Soulless in Podcast Interview

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed labeled President Donald Trump an idiot and accused Vice President JD Vance of having no actual soul during a podcast interview released Wednesday. The remarks, which also described Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a mini-fool bully, mark a sharp departure from traditional Democratic campaign rhetoric. El-Sayed argued that the current administration is led by the dumbest and most cowardly people in the country.

Speaking on comedian Hasan Minhaj’s show, El-Sayed said the president craves attention because he was a nepo baby. He described the current leadership as a whole coterie of the dumbest people running the nation. El-Sayed stated that he is actively bullied by these individuals but is not looking to bully others in return. He noted that bullies are fragile and back off once people stop fearing their strikes.

The comments come with Election Day just days away. A Michigan State University poll released Monday shows El-Sayed leading Republican opponent Mike Rogers, 48% to 44%. El-Sayed’s campaign team did not respond to requests for comment regarding the interview. If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history.

David Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University, told HuffPost that the podcast appearance was a calculated tactic. Dulio said El-Sayed is an outstanding communicator who would not allow himself to slip. The expert argued that the language is unlikely to imperil the candidate’s bid for office. Dulio said the blunt approach will not drive away Republicans who were considering voting for El-Sayed.

Dulio suggested the words could encourage existing Democratic supporters, younger voters, and persuadable undecided swing voters. He attributed the shift in tone to the social-media-fication of politics, where rhetoric has become more informal and personal. Trump has historically used terms like stupid and low IQ to dismiss opponents, including former President Joe Biden.

Social media users responded positively to the clip. One user on X wrote that normal, average Americans speak in these blunt terms. Many others agreed that more candidates are using language that would have been rare two to four decades ago. Dulio noted that podcasts have become a major place to connect with voters in recent years.

Former President Barack Obama also took a comedic jab at Trump during a campaign event in Georgia on Wednesday. Obama joked that Trump is so focused on White House renovations it looks like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. Obama said Trump was very upset by the Cheesecake Factory comment but not the Saddam Hussein comparison. Obama added that the president should hold a press conference in front of the actual bakery to help lower inflation.

Niall Stanage, a White House columnist at The Hill, said Obama has rope-a-doped Trump into a fight that advantages Democrats. Stanage observed that Obama is clearly enjoying the exchange. Dulio said El-Sayed’s style might be the leading edge of the direction the Democratic Party is heading. If El-Sayed wins alongside other progressive candidates, that faction of the party will be emboldened.