Senator Elizabeth Warren cancelled a planned appearance at a fundraiser in Michigan that was to support Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed. The event had been organised by Democratic donor Kelly Neumann.
Neumann’s grandfather served in the German armed forces during the Nazi period. In 2024 she posted on Facebook honouring him, showing images of a uniform that resembled a Nazi outfit and stating that he had accepted her as gay. She later issued an apology, describing him as a German soldier rather than a Nazi.
Historical sources indicate that the German Wehrmacht participated in Nazi war crimes, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum states there is no distinction between German soldiers and Nazis.
Warren had previously endorsed Graham Platner, a Michigan candidate who displayed a Nazi‑style skull tattoo and had connections to antisemitic individuals, but withdrew that endorsement after rape accusations emerged. She subsequently endorsed Abdul El‑Said, whose campaign has received support from groups associated with pro‑Hamas statements.
El‑Said shared a stage with a religious figure who minimised Holocaust fatalities and praised the October 7 attack. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum notes the lack of separation between German soldiers and Nazi perpetrators.
The campaign of Warren has not announced whether she will maintain her support for El‑Said, who trails in Michigan polls but retains backing from progressive groups.
Jewish Insider was the first outlet to report the scheduling issue. El‑Said’s team attributed Warren’s initial inclusion on the event to a clerical mistake. Neumann posted on Instagram, later removed, claiming travel delays were responsible for the scheduling problem.
Warren’s office has not made a public comment on the matter. Attorney Eugenie B. Eardley, representing Neumann, previously warned of legal action against the Washington Free Beacon over its coverage of Neumann’s grandfather, describing the reporting as defamatory and a breach of privacy.
Warren is set to headline an El‑Said rally on Saturday and is expected to restate her endorsement. In earlier remarks she praised El‑Said’s health‑care proposals and referenced comments she had made about Luigi Mangione, who is alleged to have killed a health‑insurance executive.