Kid Rock Sparks Fierce Backlash After Comparing Abdul El-Sayed to 9/11 Hijackers in Heated Bill Maher Exchange: 'You're an Idiot'

Kid Rock faced criticism after comparing Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed to the September 11 hijackers during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday, October 30.

The musician questioned whether El-Sayed had truly assimilated into American society, despite acknowledging his education and communication skills.

He also raised concerns about the candidate's Muslim faith, prompting host Bill Maher to challenge his argument and correct him about the hijackers' nationalities.

The exchange drew reactions online, including a blunt response from one X user who told the musician, "You're an idiot."

The discussion turned to Michigan's closely watched U.S. Senate race, in which El-Sayed faced Republican Mike Rogers in the November 3 election.

Maher addressed the broader debate surrounding Muslim political candidates, arguing that both sides of the political divide had approached the issue poorly.

"The left is naïve and the right is hysterical," the comedian said, according to Variety.

Maher also brought up President Donald Trump's warning that an El-Sayed victory would allow jihadists into the country and expose Americans to violence and terrorism.

When Maher questioned whether Kid Rock agreed with Trump's assessment, the singer turned his attention to El-Sayed's assimilation into American culture.

"People talk about assimilation too all the time, right? This man very much has assimilated — good education, well-spoken, even a good-looking guy," Rock said.

He then invoked the September 11 attacks, adding, "You know who else assimilated very well? Those pieces of sh*t that flew those planes into our World Trade Centers. The Fort Hood shooter."

Rock subsequently described Islamic extremism as a source of concern and questioned whether El-Sayed was a "wolf in sheep's clothing."

Maher did not let the comparison go unchallenged. He pointed out that the September 11 hijackers had come from abroad rather than being assimilated Americans.

"Not that it matters so much, but the 9/11 hijackers weren't here assimilated. They were from Saudi Arabia," he told the musician.

Rock appeared to dispute the correction, responding, "The ones who flew the planes were from Saudi Arabia? No."

However, FBI records confirm that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Two were from the United Arab Emirates, while the remaining two came from Egypt and Lebanon.

The FBI also documents that the first hijackers entered the United States in January 2000, with all 19 arriving by early July 2001.

The Real Time appearance was not the first occasion on which Rock had questioned El-Sayed's assimilation or compared him to individuals responsible for terrorist attacks.

During an October 16 appearance on Fox & Friends, the musician also brought up the Fort Hood shooter and the September 11 hijackers while discussing the Democratic candidate.

Rock described El-Sayed as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and alleged that he had connections to the Muslim Brotherhood through his mother. Those allegations have not established that El-Sayed himself belongs to the organization.

The candidate has repeatedly rejected the accusations. According to reports, he responded to questions about old social media posts from his half-sister, which referenced their mother's alleged involvement with the organization.

"I have no ties. We have no ties," El-Sayed said. He also explained that he was not raised by his biological mother and dismissed the claims as "hearsay."

Rock's comments also attracted criticism from journalists and other social media users.

Journalist Mehdi Hasan responded to the controversy surrounding the musician's earlier remarks about El-Sayed, writing, "Make it make sense, folks!" on X.

Political commentator Zaid Jilani also reacted to the Real Time exchange, mocking Rock for being challenged by Maher. "The idea of getting outsmarted by Bill Maher," he wrote.

Another X user, JoJoRobo58, directed an even blunter response at the musician, writing, "You're an idiot."

The reactions added to the criticism surrounding Rock's comparison of El-Sayed to the September 11 hijackers and his subsequent disagreement with Maher over the historical facts.