Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed offered President Donald Trump an unlikely deal on Sunday: if the president wants to guarantee health coverage for every American, Democrats will help him do it — and he can put his own name on the plan. "Trump care for all," El-Sayed called it, on ABC News' This Week on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

El-Sayed, who will become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate when the new Congress convenes in January, said Democrats will work with Trump "if he wants to act serious." In the same appearance he called Trump an "unserious fool" and warned that if the president chooses "foolishness," he will find no willing partner in Congress.

Key Points

• On ABC News' This Week on Sunday, November 8, 2026, El-Sayed said Democrats will work with President Donald Trump "if he wants to act serious," offering a universal-coverage deal branded "Trump care for all."
• In the same interview he called Trump an "unserious fool," warning that "foolishness" will find no willing partner in Congress.
• He again declined to commit to backing Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader, praising Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and saying he wants a leader ready to act when the new Congress convenes.
• El-Sayed, 42, beat Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, as Democrats won both chambers in the November 3 midterms.
• Health care is an early test for the new majorities, with Affordable Care Act subsidies expired and Medicaid cuts taking effect in January.

What Happened

Asked how Democrats would deal with a president who has spent his second term attacking them, El-Sayed gave a blunt answer — then, deliberately, a constructive one. Democrats will work with Trump, he said, "if he wants to act serious." Then he laid out the terms: if the president wanted to guarantee health coverage for everyone, he could put his own name on the plan. "Trump care for all."

The insult and the invitation were not contradictory — they were the point.

El-Sayed also repeated his refusal to commit to backing Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, saying he wanted to see who else might run and praising Van Hollen.

Background: From Michigan to the National Stage

El-Sayed, 42, a physician and former Detroit health director, won Michigan's open Senate seat on November 3, 2026, beating Republican former Representative Mike Rogers and succeeding retiring Senator Gary Peters. Decision Desk HQ put the margin at 50.88 percent to 47.14 percent.

His victory was part of a Democratic sweep that delivered both chambers, with Democrats projected to hold a 54-seat Senate majority when the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2027. El-Sayed campaigned on Medicare for All.

Schumer, set to become majority leader, says he is confident he will be re-elected: "This issue is not me. I'll be reelected as majority leader." But at least seven incoming senators-elect have declined to back him, including El-Sayed, who has pointed instead to Van Hollen.

What "Trump Care for All" Would Mean

El-Sayed gave no policy detail — no financing, no coverage list. But the numbers are stark: enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits expired at the end of 2025, average costs for enrollees who kept their plans soared 114 percent in 2026, according to KFF, and the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, with millions projected to lose coverage when stricter eligibility rules take effect in January 2027.

Democrats' health-care agenda centres on restoring the expired credits and reversing those cuts — and El-Sayed, who campaigned on Medicare for All, is among the loudest voices for going further, toward a single-payer system. By calling his offer "Trump care for all," he offered the president ownership of a policy Democrats have wanted for years — and dared him to take it. The catch: any plan would need Democratic votes, and Democrats would expect real universal coverage, not a rebranding of the status quo. Whether Trump would accept is an open question — he has shown little appetite for expanding government health programmes.

Reactions and Quotes

El-Sayed's own words carried the interview. "If he wants to act serious," he said of Trump, Democrats will work with him. On the offer: if Trump wanted to guarantee coverage for everyone, he could call it "Trump care for all." On the president: an "unserious fool" who, if he chooses "foolishness," will find no willing partner in Congress.

Why It Matters

First, it puts health care at the centre of the lame-duck period and the new Congress's opening weeks. With premiums rising and Medicaid cuts biting in January, Democrats have a concrete issue to press — and a president who must decide whether to negotiate or veto.

Second, it shows how the new majority intends to handle Trump: not unconditional opposition or cooperation, but deals offered on its terms, in public, with the cost of refusal placed on the White House.

Third, it marks El-Sayed's arrival as a national figure. A week after his historic win, he is setting terms on the biggest domestic policy question in the country.

What Happens Next

The new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027, and the Senate leadership vote is expected in December. Their withheld support gives the incoming senators leverage over whoever leads the caucus. On health care, Democrats are expected to move quickly once seated, with restoring the expired Affordable Care Act credits and reversing the Medicaid cuts at the top of the agenda. Whether Trump engages with the offer, ignores it or attacks it will signal how the next two years will work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did El-Sayed offer President Trump?

On ABC's This Week on November 8, El-Sayed said Democrats will work with Trump "if he wants to act serious," offering a deal: if Trump wanted to guarantee coverage for everyone, he could put his own name on it — "Trump care for all."

Why did El-Sayed call Trump an "unserious fool"?

In the same interview, he said Trump must choose between acting seriously and "foolishness," warning that if the president chooses "foolishness," he will find no willing partner in Congress.

Will El-Sayed support Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader?

He has repeatedly declined to commit, saying he wants to see who else might run and praising Senator Chris Van Hollen, who has not announced a bid. At least seven incoming senators-elect have withheld support from Schumer.

What would "Trump care for all" actually be?

He gave no detailed policy. The phrase means universal health coverage — insurance for every American — with Trump's name attached. He campaigned on Medicare for All; the wider Democratic agenda is restoring expired Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing Medicaid cuts.

When does El-Sayed take office?

The new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027, when Vice President JD Vance will swear in the new senators, including El-Sayed, who succeeds retiring Senator Gary Peters.

Read more: Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate; Seven incoming senators refuse to back Schumer as leadership revolt grows.