Abdul El-Sayed, a US Senator from Michigan, has urged Washington to reconsider providing financial and military aid to countries accused of violating international law. He specifically cited Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as examples.
Pointing to the use of taxpayer money, the progressive Democrat argued that no country should receive unconditional foreign aid.
In an interview with PBS NewsHour, El-Sayed stated, “I do not pay my tax dollars to provide tanks to the Egyptian government, nor to the governments of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.”
He added, “As a matter of principle, I do not support providing unconditional military aid to any nation.”
This is not the first time the newly elected Senator has articulated this position. Earlier this week, in an interview with ABC News, he asserted that US taxpayer funds should not be used to support countries accused of violating international law. He emphasized the need to ensure that the United States’ own actions are also consistent with international law.
Furthermore, he stressed that this issue should not be limited solely to the case of Israel.
El-Sayed remarked, “How do we ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to international law? This is not just about Israel. I take the same stance regarding Egypt—the country from which my family emigrated—as well as Pakistan and Jordan. We must lead the way in upholding international law.”
Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed made history by defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the 2026 US midterm elections, becoming the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Senate.
