Blab Politics
Mike Rogers Claim That Abdul El-Sayed Believed America Deserved 9/11 Is Unsubstantiated
On August 5, former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers blasted Democratic nominee Abdul El‑Sayed, asserting that the candidate “believes that America deserved 9/11.” The accusation came the day after El‑Sayed won Michigan’s open Senate primary on August 4. Rogers, a former Army officer and former chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, offered no evidence to back his claim.
Rogers posted the statement on his campaign website, where he wrote: “I spent years hunting terrorists and bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. Never in a million years did I think that I would be running against someone who believes America deserved 9/11.” The campaign has yet to respond to inquiries for documentation.
According to the campaign’s reply to PolitiFact, the allegation traces to a 2019 livestream in which Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said, “America deserved 9/11.” Piker’s comment surfaced during a discussion with Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw about the Middle East. Piker later apologized and Twitch suspended him for one week.
El‑Sayed has consistently denied endorsing Piker’s remark. In an April 7 Fox & Friends interview, he said, “Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified.” When asked at a campaign event that same day whether he had disavowed Piker, he replied that he was not there to “disavow people’s views” but to discuss policy, and the event did not focus on the 9/11 statement.
He addressed the issue again on NBC’s Meet the Press on August 9, saying, “Of course. Of course, it was a dumb statement. I think Hasan, himself, would say that was a dumb statement. He disavowed it. So, yes, America didn’t deserve 9/11.” These remarks reaffirm that El‑Sayed publicly rejects the idea that the attacks were justified.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) used Piker’s comment in a digital ad that reads, “When his ally claimed America deserved 9/11, El‑Sayed refused to disavow him.” The ad suggests El‑Sayed addressed the remark, but the campaign event did not include a question about it.
El‑Sayed, a former Detroit public health official and epidemiologist, secured the Democratic nomination with 48.5% of the vote in the August 4 primary. Rogers, who represented Michigan’s 8th congressional district from 2001 to 2015, is the Republican nominee. The general election will take place on November 3, 2026.
The allegation has appeared in campaign messaging but remains unverified. No evidence has been produced that El‑Sayed ever expressed the view that America deserved 9/11. The claim appears to hinge on a mischaracterization of Piker’s remarks and El‑Sayed’s refusal to disavow them.
As the campaign season moves forward, the focus remains on policy differences between the candidates. The 9/11 claim has not been substantiated, and the campaign has not supplied supporting evidence.
Rogers posted the statement on his campaign website, where he wrote: “I spent years hunting terrorists and bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. Never in a million years did I think that I would be running against someone who believes America deserved 9/11.” The campaign has yet to respond to inquiries for documentation.
According to the campaign’s reply to PolitiFact, the allegation traces to a 2019 livestream in which Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said, “America deserved 9/11.” Piker’s comment surfaced during a discussion with Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw about the Middle East. Piker later apologized and Twitch suspended him for one week.
El‑Sayed has consistently denied endorsing Piker’s remark. In an April 7 Fox & Friends interview, he said, “Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified.” When asked at a campaign event that same day whether he had disavowed Piker, he replied that he was not there to “disavow people’s views” but to discuss policy, and the event did not focus on the 9/11 statement.
He addressed the issue again on NBC’s Meet the Press on August 9, saying, “Of course. Of course, it was a dumb statement. I think Hasan, himself, would say that was a dumb statement. He disavowed it. So, yes, America didn’t deserve 9/11.” These remarks reaffirm that El‑Sayed publicly rejects the idea that the attacks were justified.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) used Piker’s comment in a digital ad that reads, “When his ally claimed America deserved 9/11, El‑Sayed refused to disavow him.” The ad suggests El‑Sayed addressed the remark, but the campaign event did not include a question about it.
El‑Sayed, a former Detroit public health official and epidemiologist, secured the Democratic nomination with 48.5% of the vote in the August 4 primary. Rogers, who represented Michigan’s 8th congressional district from 2001 to 2015, is the Republican nominee. The general election will take place on November 3, 2026.
The allegation has appeared in campaign messaging but remains unverified. No evidence has been produced that El‑Sayed ever expressed the view that America deserved 9/11. The claim appears to hinge on a mischaracterization of Piker’s remarks and El‑Sayed’s refusal to disavow them.
As the campaign season moves forward, the focus remains on policy differences between the candidates. The 9/11 claim has not been substantiated, and the campaign has not supplied supporting evidence.
