Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed addresses past support for police funding changes

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed did not directly answer whether he still supports calls to defund the police during an interview with CNN. He was questioned about his previous social media posts from 2020 and 2021 that advocated for defunding police departments, which he has since deleted. In a June 2020 post, El-Sayed stated that major U.S. cities spend excessively on police while underfunding public services like schools and health departments. During the interview, he emphasized the need for a vision of public safety that includes community involvement and investment in local policing, but he did not clarify his current stance on defunding the police. El-Sayed acknowledged the importance of investing in law enforcement recruitment and retention, as well as public health initiatives. He has also faced scrutiny regarding his comments on Israel and his association with controversial figures.