President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, describing him as “full of nonsense” while claiming Democrats are resorting to communist ideologies. This statement followed El-Sayed’s narrow victory over Rep. Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary. El-Sayed secured the win by less than a one percentage point margin, as reported by The Associated Press on Wednesday. In November, he will challenge Republican Mike Rogers for the Senate seat previously held by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

During a speech in Las Vegas, Trump spent several minutes targeting candidates with democratic socialist affiliations. He argued these candidates promote communist ideas, describing communism as “the greatest threat” ever faced by the United States.

“These individuals are dangerous and, frankly, irrational,” Trump remarked. “We cannot allow them to assume office. Communism is the greatest threat to our country in its history, even surpassing events like World War One, World War Two, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11.”

The White House later reiterated Trump’s stance through social media, stating: “Communism is the greatest threat to our country.”

Trump criticized what he described as the consequences of communist policies for Americans:

“Would you prefer a free house? They’ll seize one from your neighbor. Prefer free rent? They’ll take it from landlords. What remains unsaid, and Republicans should highlight, is that eventually, you’ll face only misery and poverty.”

He pointed to Venezuela as an illustration of communism’s effects:

“Consider Venezuela, once prosperous twenty years ago,” noted Trump. “Whenever such policies prevail, you encounter decay, crime, and desolation.”

Trump singled out El-Sayed during his address, eliciting notable applause:

“Observing Abdul, he’s utterly deceptive,” Trump said.

El-Sayed’s victory positions him as a progressive contender in a key Senate race. Supported by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, El-Sayed promoted policies like Medicare for All, reducing political financial influence, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel. While identifying as a capitalist, he distanced himself from the Democratic Socialists of America.

Trump alluded to familiar themes from his previous tenure, reiterating from a past State of the Union address, “America will never be a socialist country.” He contended that Democrats aim to bypass socialism in favor of communism:

“What I left unsaid is their true agenda: transitioning to communism. They strive for a communist nation. We will not permit such a transformation, even momentarily.”

Trump concluded by pledging to defeat the Democratic Party’s progressive trajectory:

“Together, we will eradicate communism, socialism, and Marxism in America.”

The White House and El-Sayed’s campaign did not promptly respond to requests for comment.