Tucker Carlson, former conservative commentator and current nicotine-pouch entrepreneur, has signaled support for Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, sparking controversy over El-Sayed’s past remarks regarding the September 11 attacks.
Last week, Carlson criticized El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, for his national security record and urged Michigan voters to reject Rogers in favor of El-Sayed. In a newsletter published on Friday, Carlson defended El-Sayed’s previous comments about the government’s response to 9/11, stating that the candidate did not condone the attacks themselves but questioned the U.S. reaction as inappropriate.
El-Sayed first addressed the topic in a 2021 podcast episode, saying that while 9/11 deeply affected the United States, subsequent U.S. actions caused suffering for millions abroad. He stated, “When we talk about 9/11, we often fail to center them,” referring to the individuals impacted by American military interventions following the attacks. On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, El-Sayed deleted a tweet in which he mourned the victims of the attacks in New York City but also referenced casualties and destruction in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria attributed to U.S. military operations.
The Democratic candidate has also been linked to Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, known for inflammatory comments including that “America deserved 9/11,” as well as displaying a framed newspaper front page of the attacks in his studio. Rogers, a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, condemned El-Sayed’s stance, calling it “disgusting” and stating it rendered him unfit for public office.
Carlson rebutted Rogers’ criticism, suggesting that acknowledging the mistakes made by the Bush administration—such as the Iraq War, which he noted was unrelated to 9/11—should not be deemed offensive. Carlson, who previously supported the Iraq War, framed Rogers’ comments as out of touch and reiterated his endorsement of El-Sayed.
In addition to backing El-Sayed, Carlson has recently drawn attention for defending Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, on his platform. Hunter Biden, 56, was convicted of making false statements regarding drug use to obtain a firearm and admitted to owing $1.4 million in taxes before receiving a presidential pardon. He has also been implicated in the disclosure of a laptop scandal involving allegations of exploiting his father’s vice presidency for personal gain. Recently, Hunter launched a cryptocurrency called $LAPTOP, which saw a rapid decline in value shortly after its debut.
Neither Rogers’ campaign nor El-Sayed’s campaign provided immediate comments on Carlson’s endorsement. The Michigan Senate race is positioning itself as a contentious contest ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.