A contentious clash over the historical interpretation of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has propelled Michigan's U.S. Senate race into the national spotlight. The controversy features Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, Republican Mike Rogers, and an unexpected intervention from prominent commentator Tucker Carlson. The dispute centers on remarks made by El-Sayed years prior to his current campaign, during a September 7, 2021, appearance on the “America Dissected” podcast.
"If Rogers is deranged enough to think that Jihadis are evil for murdering enough Americans to fill a Division III hockey arena, but that the Pentagon deserves two thumbs up for killing enough to pack Ohio State’s football stadium multiple times, then he cannot possibly have the judgment necessary to adequately serve the needs of American voters." Tucker Carlson, Commentator
During the podcast, El-Sayed reflected on the profound impact of 9/11 on the United States. He stated, "9/11 scarred our country in profound ways, but what we did after 9/11 scarred millions of other people." El-Sayed added that discussions about 9/11 often "fail to center them," referring to those affected by subsequent U.S. actions. These comments remained largely unnoticed for years until their recent resurgence this month, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 American lives.
Mike Rogers, a sitting U.S. Representative and El-Sayed’s Republican opponent for the Michigan Senate seat, swiftly condemned the resurfaced remarks. Rogers declared that "it is disqualifying for a US Senate Candidate to believe that Americans should ‘center’ their grief from 9/11." He escalated his criticism, labeling El-Sayed’s comments as "disgusting" and asserting that they render him "completely unfit to serve in public office."
The campaign skirmish took an unexpected turn when Tucker Carlson weighed in through his members-only newsletter on Friday. Rather than aligning with fellow conservatives in denouncing El-Sayed, Carlson publicly defended the Democrat's perspective. Carlson wrote, "El-Sayed did not celebrate airplane hijackings or cheerlead Al-Qaeda; he simply said that the U.S. conducting terrorism of its own in response to 9/11 was not exactly an appropriate reaction. He is obviously right."
Carlson utilized his platform to articulate a broader critique of the human costs associated with America’s military campaigns initiated after 9/11, specifically highlighting the Iraq War, which commenced under President George W. Bush. He contended that the scale of the U.S. response far exceeded the original attack. "Your typical Fox News viewer is likely oblivious to this, but America’s response to 9/11 blew the original attack out of the water," Carlson wrote. He elaborated on the consequences of the Iraq War, stating, "George Bush’s subsequent war in Iraq, which made no sense considering Iraq did not do 9/11, got hundreds of thousands of innocents killed, had tens of thousands of American military casualties, and catalyzed the creation of ISIS."
Carlson further emphasized his point with a stark casualty estimate, asserting, "That means the U.S. slaughtered enough civilians to account for dozens and dozens of 9/11s. And that is a conservative estimate." He did not limit his commentary to defending El-Sayed; he launched a direct attack on Rogers, questioning the congressman's own record and judgment.
"Hold on a second. Disgusting? Understanding that the Bush administration was wrong to kill hundreds of thousands of people and waste trillions of dollars in Iraq, even though, again, Iraq did not do 9/11, is disgusting?" Carlson challenged. He continued his criticism of Rogers, stating flatly, "We are really not sure who Mike Rogers is, but if anyone in Michigan’s Senate race is ‘unfit to serve in public office,’ it is him."
Carlson concluded his argument with a vivid comparison to underscore the magnitude of wartime casualties. "Slaughtering thousands of innocent people is atrocious no matter who is responsible," he wrote. He further questioned Rogers' moral framework: "If Rogers is deranged enough to think that Jihadis are evil for murdering enough Americans to fill a Division III hockey arena, but that the Pentagon deserves two thumbs up for killing enough to pack Ohio State’s football stadium multiple times, then he cannot possibly have the judgment necessary to adequately serve the needs of American voters."
El-Sayed’s Senate campaign has faced other controversies related to past political associations, including prior appearances alongside Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. El-Sayed reportedly distanced himself from Piker only after securing his party’s primary nomination, a move that drew scrutiny during the primary campaign.
The Michigan contest between Rogers and El-Sayed is widely considered one of the most closely watched Senate races in the current election cycle. Carlson’s intervention represents one of several instances in recent months where his public commentary has diverged sharply from more mainstream conservative media positions, particularly concerning U.S. foreign policy and military engagement in the Middle East. As of the publication of Carlson's newsletter, neither the Rogers nor the El-Sayed campaign has issued further public comment on the matter.
