Trump leans into Islamophobia and conspiracy in last-ditch campaign rallies

Days before the US midterm elections, Donald Trump intensified his Islamophobic rhetoric and conspiracy claims about Democrats at rallies in Iowa and Kansas. He called Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist,” joked that the Senate would need a special metal detector for him, and repeated an unfounded claim that El-Sayed belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood. Trump urged supporters to vote and asked them to “pretend I’m on the ballot” as polls suggested a difficult election for Republicans. The rallies, cancelled and then rescheduled, were his final campaign trips before the vote and were repeatedly interrupted by hecklers.