Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed issued a statement on Thursday after his supporter made a bold claim. The far-left streamer Hasan Piker told Axios that the United States is the real terrorist organization. He said America causes more death than al-Qaeda when measured pound for pound.
Piker made these remarks during a new episode of “The Axios Show” on Thursday. His earlier assertion that the United States is the “top dog in terrorism” was reinforced by him. When asked if America was worse than the group that killed nearly 3,000 people on 9/11, he replied, “Pound for pound as far as the number of deaths, yes,” according to the New York Post. “We have caused tremendous terror all around the world,” he stated.
Left-wing streamer Hasan Piker told Axios he believes the U.S. has caused more terrorism globally than al-Qaeda.
Asked whether America was worse “pound for pound,” Piker said: “Pound for pound as far as the number of deaths, yes. We have caused tremendous terror all around the… pic.twitter.com/XJQdVU14ux
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 17, 2026
The streamer cited a missile strike on an elementary school in Iran as his main example. He stated, “If you’re killing 140 schoolgirls, that is an act of terror,” per RedState. Piker argued that the reality of the matter requires an environment of accountability to ensure such events never happen again.
El-Sayed, who is running against Republican Mike Rogers, moved quickly to distance himself from the comments. A statement issued to Axios read, “I do not agree with this statement [on al-Qaeda], nor do I give much weight to the statements made by a social media streamer,” the Daily Wire reported. The candidate shifted focus to economic issues facing his state. El-Sayed expressed greater worry regarding the hazardous policies of Donald Trump and Mike Rogers, which are driving up costs for gas, groceries, and healthcare for Michiganders.
“America deserved 9/11” – Hasan Piker, the left’s top streamer pic.twitter.com/gPTCJZAsre
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 15, 2025
This stance contrasts with his actions just a day prior. During a candidate forum, the Democrat justified his ongoing decision to maintain ties with Piker. Explaining his communication with Hasan to Fox 2 Detroit, he cited the 3 million individuals who heed his words. He noted that politics often tells people who they cannot talk to.
oh this is why they were farming the interview. i give a nuanced answer about acts of terror this admin has caused and they clickbait it. he asked, i gave a nuanced answer. we’ve armed al qaeda since 9/11, we made its former commander the president of syria. https://t.co/NKezg8F1pk
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) September 17, 2026
The Michigan Senate race is a critical contest for Democrats hoping to flip control of the Senate. Data from the RealClearPolitics polling average indicates that El-Sayed now holds a 1.8 percentage point lead over Rogers. Piker, 35, has a history of controversial remarks, including a 2019 comment that America “deserved 9/11,” which he has only partially walked back.
