East Lansing, Michigan — During a campaign stop on Tuesday, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed refused to disavow past remarks made by Hasan Piker, a well-known far-left streamer, and defended his role within the Democratic Party amidst criticism from the center-left.
Speaking to POLITICO alongside Piker, El-Sayed emphasized the importance of Democrats welcoming Piker, despite the controversy surrounding his statements on Israel and U.S. foreign policy. These remarks have attracted criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, including El-Sayed’s primary rivals, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow.
In 2019, Piker sparked outrage by stating on his livestream that “America deserved 9/11,” a comment for which he later apologized. Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Piker criticized the Israeli response in Gaza, using language that some Jews and Israel supporters have labeled antisemitic.
When questioned about distancing himself from Piker’s views, El-Sayed dismissed the notion as a “gotcha game.”
“I’m not here to disavow people’s views,” El-Sayed asserted. “This whole gotcha game, platform policing, cancel culture — I thought we were over it.”
His comments quickly drew Republican attention, who shared a video of his statements online while highlighting Piker’s contentious history.
El-Sayed defended his choice to campaign with Piker, emphasizing the need for Democrats to engage with left-wing figures like him to effectively communicate their message. The pair addressed an audience of approximately 400 at Michigan State University.
El-Sayed and Piker also made a campaign stop at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Tuesday.
Piker dismissed criticism from other Democrats, including the center-left think tank Third Way and several potential 2028 presidential candidates, suggesting their critiques were merely scripted “talking points.”
“It is a heinous smear at the end of the day, and it’s one that many of these groups actually apply, because they can’t have a conversation about Israel’s influence over American foreign policy on moral terms,” Piker stated. “So instead of attacking the message, they attack the messenger.”
