Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew a clear and firm distinction between congressional Democrats and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, publicly condemning El-Sayed’s refusal to endorse Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state as flatly “wrong.”
Pelosi delivered these remarks during an appearance on host Donny Deutsch’s “On Brand” podcast, where the conversation centered on antisemitism and the nature of political rhetoric within the Democratic Party.
The discussion was initiated when Deutsch raised concerns about language that questions Israel’s foundational status. “Yeah, when you say Israel doesn’t have the right to be a Jewish state, that’s anti-semitic as far as I’m concerned,” Deutsch stated.
Pelosi responded by questioning whether sitting lawmakers actually held such a position, asking, “Who says that?”
Deutsch directed the conversation beyond Capitol Hill, identifying New York political figure Zohran Mamdani and El-Sayed, who is currently seeking a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, as individuals who have expressed such views.
“I’m talking about Congress,” Pelosi replied. “I can’t account for a Democrat ,”
Deutsch pressed the matter further: “El-Sayed has said that. That he doesn’t believe that they should be a Jewish state. That’s concerning.”
Pelosi offered no ambiguity in her response.
“Yeah, no, it’s more than concerning. It’s wrong,” Pelosi said.
After Deutsch expressed agreement, Pelosi continued, making her position unmistakably clear and characterizing such views as an outlier among federal legislators.
“It’s wrong, and it isn’t a reflection of the Democrats in the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said. “This new person in Michigan will see if he gets elected to Congress, but the mayor, bless his heart, I hope he succeeds as mayor, but I don’t agree with some of the things he has said.”
El-Sayed, who previously served as director of the Detroit Health Department, is actively campaigning for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Pelosi, who led House Democrats for two decades and continues to represent San Francisco, made clear that the official consensus among Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill remains firmly and consistently supportive of Israel.
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