# Fact-checking claims about Abdul El-Sayed’s victory speech Media outlets falsely claimed the Michigan Senator-elect delivered his victory speech in Arabic. - **Source:** [The New European](https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk) - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b3df1047-a56c-43a6-9566-0a0e3e74a2ad ## Misleading media narratives GB News and The Free Press recently published claims that Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed delivered his victory speech entirely in Arabic. These outlets suggested this event signaled a concerning shift in political discourse. However, a detailed review of the actual event confirms that these reports were factually incorrect and highly misleading. ## The origin of claims Commentator Lee Cohen wrote for GB News, expressing alarm that such a speech might foreshadow future political trends in Britain. Simultaneously, The Free Press, led by Bari Weiss, amplified the narrative on social media. They specifically criticized El-Sayed and Ilhan Omar for allegedly addressing the American public in foreign languages. ## Analyzing the transcript A thorough examination of the official transcript reveals that El-Sayed’s speech contained approximately 1,460 words. Of those, only four words were in Arabic. These included the phrases 'inshallah', 'alhamdulillah', and 'habibi'. This accounts for a mere 0.27% of the total content, effectively debunking the claim that the speech was delivered in Arabic. ## Context of Arabic usage El-Sayed utilized these specific Arabic terms during a humorous segment of his address. He was responding to comments made by Vice President JD Vance, who had previously labeled him a radical extremist. By using the term 'habibi' while addressing Vance, he highlighted the irony of their upcoming professional relationship in January. ## Ilhan Omar's speech context The criticism leveled against Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was similarly contextually flawed. While she did speak in Somali, this occurred during a brief address to her local campaign volunteers. Her official, primary victory speech to the broader American public was delivered entirely in English, contradicting the claims made by culture warriors. ## Media accountability standards The rapid spread of these false claims highlights significant issues regarding editorial verification in modern political commentary. By framing a few words as an entire speech, these outlets prioritized sensationalism over factual accuracy. This incident serves as a case study in how linguistic nuances are manipulated to manufacture outrage among audiences. ## Political polarization impact The focus on language choice reflects deeper tensions within the American political landscape regarding identity and representation. Critics frequently target minority politicians by questioning their assimilation or loyalty to national norms. By misrepresenting these speeches, media entities attempt to alienate specific voter demographics and deepen existing partisan divides across the country. ## Verification as a necessity The discrepancy between the viral claims and the actual transcript underscores the necessity of independent fact-checking. When media outlets misreport events to push a specific ideological agenda, public trust in journalism erodes. Moving forward, audiences must rely on primary source documentation rather than inflammatory headlines to understand political developments accurately. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sack-stop-lying-right-wingers-abdul-el-sayed-did-not-give-his-victory-speech-in-arabic/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._