El-Sayed backs Trump's $4 billion cut to Israel aid
The new Senate leader from Michigan supports ending annual military transfers and halting arms sales to the region.
By Hugo Khalil ·
The United States provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid under a current agreement that extends through 2028. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he plans to end roughly $4 billion in those funds by the end of the year. Abdul El-Sayed, who just won a historic Senate seat in Michigan, said he supports the move.
El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in the general election to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. The 42-year-old former public health official campaigned on lowering costs, expanding Medicare for All, and reducing corporate influence in politics. Rogers, who received the endorsement of President Trump, attacked El-Sayed during the race for his Muslim faith and his stance on military aid to Israel.
Israel became a major point of contention in the Michigan race. Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, endorsed Rogers days before the general election following a dispute over Israel policy. Now that El-Sayed holds the seat, he aligns with the president on the timing of the aid cut.
"I think the president is actually right on this policy," El-Sayed told Morning Edition after his victory. He added that the U.S. should also stop selling weaponry used in what he described as acts of genocide and apartheid to Israel.
El-Sayed argued that the U.S. should rethink military support for other nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Pakistan. He stated that American tax dollars should be spent domestically rather than funding foreign militaries.
His victory does not resolve all internal party divisions. NPR correspondent Michel Martin spoke with Jewish and Black voters in Michigan before the election who expressed concerns about El-Sayed. When asked if he still needs to build support with those groups, El-Sayed said the election results challenged the narrative that he was an outsider.
"There's always more work to do. There's always more to build. There's always more conversations to have," El-Sayed said.
Source: WUNC
