Abdul El-Sayed backs Trump’s call to cut Israel aid, says he is willing to work with president

El-Sayed urges distinction between Judaism and Israel, rejecting claims that criticism of Israel is antisemitism

Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim American elected to the US Senate, voiced support on Thursday for President Donald Trump’s remarks about cutting aid to Israel, saying Washington should stop financing a military accused of committing atrocities with American weapons.

El-Sayed told MS NOW that he agreed with Trump’s position and was willing to work with the president to end US military assistance to Israel.

“I agree with him on that. I don't think we should be continuing to subsidise a foreign military that had done the worst things with our money. I agree. I would love to work with him on doing that,” he said.

El-Sayed, who was elected on Tuesday, stressed the need to distinguish Judaism and Jewish people from the actions of Israel, and rejected attempts to portray criticism of Israel as hatred of Jews.

He pointed to Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank and restrictions on access to basic resources in the Gaza Strip, reiterating his characterisation of the war as genocide.

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“We're told that if you want to stand up against the murder of innocent Palestinian children, that's somehow about hate for anybody,” said the senator-elect. “It's about equal love for those Palestinian children.”

El-Sayed also said he was committed to protecting Jewish children and families in the US, drawing on his experiences as a Muslim parent concerned about his children's safety.

On Trump, El-Sayed said he was willing to work with anyone, arguing that politics should focus on enforcing the rule of law and delivering for the American public rather than political retribution.

“I want to talk about something because I think people see our politics as this game where you get retribution on the other side,” he said.

“It's not about retribution. It should never be about retribution. It's about enforcing the rule of law and, most importantly, delivering for the American public.”