Michigan Senate candidate Abdul‑El Sayed used his campaign’s X account on Thursday to launch a pointed attack against White House aide Natalie Harp. The criticism came a week after Sayed previously targeted Second Lady Usha Vance.
Trump’s “Lake America” edict sparks online feud
President Trump issued an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid a heated trade dispute with Canada. Sayed’s post questioned the move, asking, “If we’re just renaming everything now… When are we making this official?” The tweet included a doctored image of the official White House page for First Lady Melania Trump, with her name crossed out and replaced by Harp’s.
Conservative backlash
The post was quickly rebuked by several conservatives. GOP communicator Matt Whitlock called the effort “weak, phoned‑in,” adding that even his four‑year‑old could craft better burns. Whitlock also noted, “Weird how much time this campaign spends talking about other people’s wives.” Journalist James David Dickson described the attack as “gross,” while the advocacy group Michigan Forward echoed the sentiment.
Harp’s background and recent scrutiny
Natalie Harp, a longtime Trump supporter, credited a first‑term “right‑to‑try” order for saving her life after a battle with bone cancer. She later joined the second Trump administration as an aide to the president. In recent weeks, Harp has faced intense media scrutiny and speculation about the nature of her relationship with President Trump.
Response from the candidate
When former Vice President JD Vance referenced his grandfather’s likely reaction to Sayed’s Senate bid, Sayed replied on X with a reference to Second Lady Usha Vance, asking, “So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…?” Fox News Digital was unable to secure a comment from Sayed’s campaign.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
