❌

Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Yesterday — 20 October 2026News - Detroit

Citizen Vox: Michigan business owner unhappy with President Trump, Democratic US Senate nominee El-Sayed

16 October 2026 at 17:10

WDET is talking to voters across Metro Detroit as part of our Citizen Vox project.

That includes Jeff Davis, who owns a business in Clinton Township.

Davis says he’s not pleased with President Trump.

But Davis adds that he’s also no fan of Michigan Democrats choice for U.S. Senate.

Listen: Citizen Vox with business owner Jeff Davis

Interview edited for length and clarity.

Jeff Davis: I find it atrocious that Abdul El Sayed equates Iran with Israel. I support (GOP senate nominee) Mike Rogers’ strong support for Israel, who is the best friend of the United States and our ally. And I fear an individual like Abdul El Sayed, who is on record as supporting defunding the police. And frankly, I think he’s extremely dangerous.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: Dangerous how?

JD: Dangerous in the sense that there’s a movement toward socialism. I think he’s a socialist communist with extremely dangerous ideas and I’m shocked that the race between him and Mike Rogers, who is a a military man, a family man. I’m really shocked that the race is so close. Socialism/communism is shown to fail. The U.S. is a country that was began on values of going out west and doing it on your own. People think that government solves problems. Government doesn’t solve any problem. Government makes it worse.

Editors note: Abdul El-Sayed denies any ties to communism and is not a member of the Democratic Socialists of America party, per NBC and the Wall Street Journal.

QK: You’re a business owner. It’s been somewhat of a tough economy for a number of people. How have things been going for you, especially while owning a business?

JD: Business is extremely difficult right now. Taxes are high, bureaucracy is high, the competition from China in the automotive industry is severe. I think Michigan, to a large degree, has not been successful in diversifying its economy like other states have done. It’s been really, really difficult. Being a business owner simply means that you’re a servant to both your customers, your suppliers, and you’re a servant to your employees as well. It’s extremely difficult right now.

QK: Do you hear of or do you have your own ideas of any approach that would help lessen some of the costs?

JD: Smaller government, less taxes. It’s ridiculous. The government should probably be involved in about half the things that it’s involved in. It needs to be cut significantly. If the government was not as fat and bloated as it is at all levels, the average American would have a lot more money in his pocket.

QK: President Trump has talked about trying to lessen the size of government. What do you think of the job that Trump has been doing?

JD: He’s been a significant disappointment. I voted for him. I think his support for Israel has been wavering at times. I think there’s a lot of ego in that administration with Trump and Hegseth talking about how great our military is. “We’re the greatest military in the world.” I think there’s a shallowness there. I think that Trump is not in touch with the average American person and I think he’s been a significant disappointment.

QK: Two of the president’s signature issues over these first couple of years of his second term have been his use of tariffs and the war in Iran. What’s your thoughts on either or both of those?

JD: I think the war in Iran is absolutely necessary. It’s extremely simplistic to say that gas prices have increased. Well of course gas prices have increased. But what’s the opposite? Nuclear weapons in the hand of the mullahs. People don’t want to put their mind in the place that some are so extreme that they’ll fire nuclear weapons at their enemies. But they are. And people don’t want to face the truth. Frankly, I think Trump should be more aggressive in the war on Iran.

With respect to tariffs, I don’t think it’s wise to pick fights with Canada or Greenland or other countries. I think it’s wise to utilize diplomacy first and foremost. There are other things Trump’s done that I really like. The sanctioning of Russia for their aggression against Ukraine, I like that. But Trump does a really poor job of explaining why he’s doing things. And I think that his ego is in the way of a lot of his decisions.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post Citizen Vox: Michigan business owner unhappy with President Trump, Democratic US Senate nominee El-Sayed appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

❌
❌