The Michigan Senator-elect, the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, used the term habibi in a victory speech.
Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed used the Arabic term habibi to address US Vice President JD Vance during his victory speech on Tuesday. According to WION, El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress following the 2026 US midterm elections.
During the speech, El-Sayed noted the irony that Vance is constitutionally obligated to swear him into office in January. The term habibi is an Arabic expression of endearment that translates to my dear or my beloved, according to WION.
El-Sayed also addressed US President Donald Trump, who had previously mocked his name. The senator-elect told Trump that after Vance swears him in, the president can call him Senator, according to WION.
The remarks follow a campaign where Vance and Trump targeted El-Sayed. News18 reported that Vance had accused El-Sayed of being corrupted by hatred and suggested he would support rioters, while Trump had called him a jihadist.
El-Sayed's victory in the Michigan Senate race, where he defeated Republican Mike Rogers, comes as Republicans lose control of Congress during a wider Democratic sweep, according to News18.
