JD Vance Tells Abdul El-Sayed to Keep Usha’s Name Out of His Mouth

Vice President JD Vance went after Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed on Monday for a social-media jab involving second lady Usha Vance. Speaking at a metro Detroit rally organized by MAGA Inc., Vance said Michigan voters would rather hear about policy than another man’s wife.

“I actually think that the people of Michigan think it’s kind of weird when you talk about another guy’s wife,” Vance said. He then told El-Sayed to talk about auto workers instead of “supporting every single policy that has undercut the wages and jobs of Michigan auto workers your entire life in public service.”

🚨 JD Vance just went HARD after Abdul El-Sayed for smacktalking his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance

"My message to Abdul El-Sayed is, you can pal around with terrorist sympathizers, and you can say that America deserved 9/11…

These are all despicable things, but they are all… pic.twitter.com/SAFifxvvcJ

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 31, 2026

The line that traveled farthest came next: “But whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife’s name the h*** out of your mouth because she’s way out of your league.”

The clash started after El-Sayed replied to Vance’s comments on Sharia law with the post, “do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no.” Critics said the line targeted Usha Vance’s Indian heritage. El-Sayed later said he was answering Vance’s broader comments on immigration and American identity.

Vance also attacked El-Sayed on trucking and immigration. “Just a few years ago, Abdul El-Sayed said that we need to make sure that illegal aliens have driver’s licenses in this country. He would love to undercut the wages of American truckers,” Vance said. El-Sayed supported standard driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants in 2018. He did not specifically call for commercial licenses for long-haul trucks.

Vance called El-Sayed a representative of “terrible evil.” El-Sayed answered later Monday: “Evil is ripping healthcare away from working people in exchange for tax breaks for billionaires. Evil is making people pay more for groceries and gas while pushing for trade wars and actual war.”

He added, “Michigan is better than being lectured to by sock puppets from Ohio and Florida,” and predicted voters would defeat Republican Mike Rogers in November. The Senate race is already a fight over immigration, manufacturing, and working-class voters. After Monday, attacks on Usha Vance are clearly not going unanswered.