fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Cultural Values › Article

Michigan Dem Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed scrubbed past videos of him saying July Fourth ‘fireworks suck,’ opposing 2nd Amendment

Nypost · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 690 words · By Josh Christenson
Cultural Values Candidate Vetting Political Authenticity
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Cultural Values

Michigan Dem Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed scrubbed past videos of him saying July Fourth ‘fireworks suck,’ opposing 2nd Amendment See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 14
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Center coverage
Left50%
Center0%
Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Michigan Dem Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed scrubbed past videos of him saying July Fourth ‘fireworks suck,’ opposing 2nd Amendment See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google WASHINGTON — Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed scrubbed videos from his YouTube channel in which he claimed that Fourth of July “fireworks suck,” questioned whether American football was “ethical” and floated…

Common ground

At least 100 of El-Sayed’s videos were made private ahead of his primary win last week, though several had already been archived, CNN’s KFile first reported.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Guilt by Association: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/11/us-news/michigan-dem-senate-candidate-abdul-el-say…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 85% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Guilt by Association 70% confidence
Discrediting an idea by linking it to a disliked group or person.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing guilt by association helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6
schedule Pending 4
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 2
help
Claim 1: ““Happy Fourth of July, Michigan! Enjoy the fireworks as we commit ourselves to building a country where all of us can thrive,” he posted on X last year.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding a specific X post from El-Sayed in 2023 celebrating fireworks.
check_circle
Claim 2: “At least 100 of El-Sayed’s videos were made private ahead of his primary win last week”
CORROBORATED
Two separate sources explicitly state that at least 100 of El-Sayed's YouTube videos were made private prior to his primary win.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Michigan. Democratic former Wayne County he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_Senate_elec…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi (born 19 November 1954) is an Egyptian politician and retired military officer who has served as the sixth president of Egypt since 2014. After the 2011 Egypt…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdel_Fattah_el-Sisi
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed (born October 31, 1984) is an American epidemiologist and politician who is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan. A progressive mem…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_El-Sayed
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 3: “he has publicly backed away from some stances, such as 2020 comments in favor of defunding law enforcement.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 4: ““The second amendment never meant any gun for anyone anywhere at any time,” he added.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 5: “Republican nominee Mike Rogers [is the opponent] in the crucial Nov. 3 general election.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and web search results confirm that Mike Rogers is the Republican nominee for the Michigan Senate seat and the general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a Class I member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Michigan. It was held concurrently with…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_Senate_elec…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Michigan. Democratic former Wayne County he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_Senate_elec…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Michael J. Rogers (born June 2, 1963) is an American law enforcement officer and politician who served from 2001 to 2015 as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 8th congressional district. A member …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rogers_(Michigan_politici…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 6: “Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed scrubbed videos from his YouTube channel in which he claimed that Fourth of July “fireworks suck,” questioned whether American football was “ethical” and floated the elimination of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm that Abdul El-Sayed removed/privated YouTube videos where he criticized fireworks, questioned the ethics/safety of football, and suggested replacing the Second Amendment with a right to healthcare.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Michigan. Democratic former Wayne County he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_Senate_elec…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed (born October 31, 1984) is an American epidemiologist and politician who is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 United States Senate election in Michigan. A progressive mem…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_El-Sayed
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hasan Doğan Piker (born July 25, 1991), known online as HasanAbi, is an American Twitch streamer, influencer, and left-wing political commentator. He began streaming on Twitch in March 2018, while wo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_Piker
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 7: “Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong recently walked back criticisms of Thanksgiving as a “colonizer holiday” and Valentine’s Day as “another day capitalism tells you how to show love.””
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of generic Wikipedia entries for the name 'Francesca', an Italian restaurant, and a clothing store. No evidence was found regarding a candidate named Francesca Hong or her comments on holidays.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 9 April 2021, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, and the longest-serving royal consort in history, died of…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_funeral_of_Prince_Ph…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of American films released in 2024. The year featured a diverse array of cinematic productions, ranging from major studio blockbusters to independent and streaming platform rel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2024
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films that are scheduled for release in 2026. Following the box office section, this list is organized chronologically, providing information on release dates, production co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2026
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 8: “Two years prior, in 2023, El-Sayed asked in a since-removed video: “What if we tweaked the Constitution, amended the amendment, and instead of the right to bear arms, we change it to the right to have health care?””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 9: “In a third clip, the Democrat suggested replacing the Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear arms with a right to health care.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state that El-Sayed suggested replacing the Second Amendment with a constitutional right to healthcare.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Defending ‘Defund,’ Ending Fireworks: El-Sayed Deleted Old Posts and Videos. The removed posts from Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, immediately set off Republican at…
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/11/us/politics/abdul-el-saye…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Resurfaced videos from a YouTube podcast show El-Sayed suggesting that lawmakers replace the Second Amendment with a constitutional right to healthcare and encouraging the public to rethink the way it…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/el-sayed-remove…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Deleted videos reveal Abdul El-Sayed's past positions. In the now-deleted clips, El-Sayed suggested lawmakers replace the Second Amendment with a constitutional right to healthcare and urged Americans…
https://news.meaww.com/el-sayed-tries-to-erase-controversial…
help
Claim 10: “El-Sayed was also recorded accusing Republicans of using border security as an issue that they “love to flog” while arguing that it “doesn’t even make the top five among issues that people in the United States actually care about”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding El-Sayed's comments on border security or the 'top five' issues people care about.
check_circle
Claim 11: “A July 10, 2024, clip showed El-Sayed discussing “alternative ways of celebrating” America’s independence”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm El-Sayed urged Americans to 'rethink' or find 'alternative ways' of celebrating Independence Day in deleted clips, though the specific date of 'July 10, 2024' is not explicitly detailed in the snippets, the content of the claim is corroborated.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, known as Abdul El-Sayed, and also known as AES, is an American politician and epidemiologist who is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 United States Senate election in Mi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_El-Sayed
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Another video showed El-Sayed, a former high school football player, asking whether the gridiron sport was “ethical” or “safe.” The candidate added in other unearthed audio that the game is “very much…
https://nypost.com/2026/08/11/us-news/michigan-dem-senate-ca…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Abdul El-Sayed wasn’t supposed to be a politician. He studied to be a doctor, but realized it was our broken politics that was making people sick. Abdul has dedicated his career to building government…
https://abdulforsenate.com/
check_circle
Claim 12: “Another video showed El-Sayed, a former high school football player, asking whether the gridiron sport was “ethical” or “safe.””
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm that El-Sayed is a former high school football player and that he questioned whether the sport was 'ethical' or 'safe' in a video.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Abdul El-Sayed ... Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed[a] (born October 31, 1984) is an American epidemiologist and politician who is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 United States Senate election in Michi…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_El-Sayed
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Abdul (also transliterated as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; Arabic: عبد ال, ʿAbd al-) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word Abd (عبد, meaning "Ser…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Abdul El-Sayed is running for US Senate in Michigan to get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, and pass Medicare for All.
https://abdulforsenate.com/
schedule
Claim 13: “The following month, however, El-Sayed had also written on X: “As a father and a public health doctor, I ask this with all of my being: Do we love our children enough to rethink our relationship with guns?””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 14: “A far-left Queens Assembly candidate in the Big Apple last year also had comments unearthed that claimed all federal holidays “truly represent the silencing & destruction of our movements.””
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources report that a far-left Queens Assembly candidate backed by Zohran Mamdani made statements claiming federal holidays represent the silencing/destruction of movements or are not causes for celebration.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 New York State Assembly election was held on November 5, 2024. This election coincided with elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. presidential election, and state…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_New_York_State_Assembly_e…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 New York State Assembly election will be held on November 3, 2026. Democrats have held a majority in the New York State Assembly since 1975. It will be held alongside elections for governor, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_New_York_State_Assembly_e…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Claire Marie Valdez (born October 12, 1989) is an American politician who has served as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 37th district since 2025, representing part of the Borough of Qu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Valdez
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.