Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing intensified scrutiny as a CNN KFile investigation brought to light a collection of his old YouTube videos, many of which have since been made private. These videos, which were publicly accessible until recently, contain statements by El-Sayed on a range of contentious issues, including his past criticisms of the Fourth of July, discussions about replacing the Second Amendment, and downplaying concerns regarding the southern border. The revelations come as El-Sayed prepares to face former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) in a pivotal general election race that could significantly influence the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
"What if we tweaked the Constitution, amended the amendment, and instead of the right to bear arms, we change it to the right to have health care?" — Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Democratic Senate Nominee (from an old video)
According to CNN’s report, approximately 100 previously public videos have been made private as El-Sayed campaigns for the Senate. While the videos themselves are no longer publicly accessible, CNN reviewed archived transcripts of the material before it was removed.
One notable video, published in July 2024, featured El-Sayed discussing "four reasons why fireworks suck" during a segment on Independence Day celebrations. Titled “Fireworks just aren’t worth it: hear us out,” the episode raised concerns about air pollution from fireworks displays in Detroit, the chemicals used in their production, potential adverse effects on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and risks to children and pets. El-Sayed’s campaign has responded to this, stating that his comments about fireworks do not represent his current stance. The campaign pointed to a 2025 social media post where El-Sayed encouraged people to enjoy Fourth of July fireworks, asserting, “Abdul is the former captain of his high school football team, loves Michigan football on Saturdays, and celebrates the Fourth of July with fireworks like the next Michigander. Cherry-picked comments from old podcasts don’t reflect his beliefs today.”
Other removed videos contained remarks on immigration and gun control. In a September 2022 episode, El-Sayed criticized Republican politicians for their emphasis on conditions along the southern border. He characterized the border as an issue Republicans “love to flog” and contended that it “doesn’t even make the top five among issues that people in the United States actually care about that affect their lives.” El-Sayed further argued that Republican voters had been encouraged to prioritize the border over other issues such as inflation, gas prices, and public health. He also criticized the efforts of Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to transport migrants to other parts of the country. “It’s crazy to me that the party that says that they’re the party of family values can’t understand when people will make decisions for their families — because that’s exactly what these migrants are doing,” El-Sayed stated. His campaign now asserts that El-Sayed supports comprehensive immigration reform that prioritizes security at the southern border while simultaneously opposing certain immigration enforcement policies implemented by the Trump administration.
Following a 2023 school shooting in Tennessee, another deleted video captured El-Sayed’s remarks concerning the Second Amendment. In the video, he posed a hypothetical question: “What if we tweaked the Constitution, amended the amendment, and instead of the right to bear arms, we change it to the right to have health care?” He argued that such a constitutional alteration would lead to “fewer people dying by gun and more people living because they have health care.” In response to this resurfaced comment, El-Sayed’s campaign has stated that he respects the Second Amendment and supports policies aimed at preventing criminals from acquiring firearms.
El-Sayed’s past statements regarding law enforcement have also drawn attention. During interviews conducted in 2020, he was quoted as saying, “we do need to defund the police,” explaining the concept as a redirection of resources from law enforcement agencies toward educational institutions, social programs, and initiatives to combat poverty. CNN had previously reported on El-Sayed deleting social media posts that supported the "defund the police" movement. More recently, El-Sayed has rejected claims that he supports defunding the police, arguing that his previous statements have been presented without their full context.
Beyond the removed videos, some other controversial material from El-Sayed remains publicly accessible. For instance, a February 2023 podcast episode features El-Sayed questioning the "ethical" and "safe" nature of football, contending that the sport’s “ethos” reflects narratives historically associated with slavery and westward expansion. The deleted material also included a sponsorship notice involving the Marguerite Casey Foundation, where El-Sayed praised research areas supported by the organization, including what he termed “feminist prison abolition.”
Not all of the approximately 100 videos removed from public view contained political commentary; CNN reported that other deleted material included lighter subjects, as well as a November 2024 episode encouraging viewers to support then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
The scrutiny over these past statements emerges shortly after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. With the general election campaign now underway, Republicans are widely expected to utilize El-Sayed’s previous comments in their efforts to portray him as outside Michigan’s political mainstream. El-Sayed’s campaign continues to assert that the resurfaced material does not accurately reflect his current political positions or policy priorities.
