Trump mocks Michigan’s progressive and calls him a ‘jihadist’ as president campaigns in Iowa

President Donald Trump used a campaign stop in Sioux City, Iowa, to brand Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist," lumping the progressive Democrat together with what he called extremists, including Texas Senate candidate James Talarico and Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar. Trump was there to boost Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, who faces Democrat Josh Turek, and Zach Lahn, the Republican challenging Democrat Rob Sand for governor, according to The Independent.

El-Sayed, who is Muslim, had just answered a voter at a Caro, Michigan, town hall who wanted him to renounce the Muslim Brotherhood. He did so, but questioned why he was asked, saying the question presumed he might hold divided loyalties.

The Independent reports that it was barred from the trip after Trump lashed out at its White House correspondent, Andrew Feinberg, during an Oval Office event the day before. Feinberg was told he would not serve as the print pool reporter, and he wrote that he was being punished.

A Marist poll shows Turek up 48 to 45 percent and Sand up 52 to 45 percent. Separately, an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll puts Trump's approval at a record low of 33 percent.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →