Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly declined to identify whether Iran or Israel poses the greater threat to the United States during Thursday’s debate with Republican Mike Rogers, dismissing the question as a “ridiculous hypothetical.”

Abdul El-Sayed REFUSES to say that Iran is a bigger threat than Israel…

…ON THE DEBATE STAGE. https://t.co/RcNkT3r37h

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 8, 2026

El-Sayed criticized Israel’s efforts to persuade Washington to confront Iran, saying the country’s “ostensible ally” had lobbied the U.S. to go to war. He also pointed to Iran’s retaliatory attacks across the Middle East and its disruption of global energy supplies, arguing that the United States should avoid becoming involved in the conflict.

Instead, El-Sayed said American funds should be directed toward domestic priorities, including schools, health care and child care. When pressed to answer the question directly, he said both Iran and Israel “have proven dangerous in their own way,” without ranking one as the greater threat.

Rogers sharply criticized his opponent’s response, accusing El-Sayed of failing to provide clear answers on terrorism. He also called attention to El-Sayed’s failure to issue a statement marking the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed in Israel.

“This is why you should get absolutely angry,” Rogers said, condemning what he described as El-Sayed’s unwillingness to acknowledge the atrocities committed during the massacre, including the killings, sexual violence and other brutality inflicted on victims and their families.