His campaign has responded to each claim, attempting to contextualize his positions and point to more recent statements. According to CNN's reporting, a July 2024 YouTube video (since deleted) showed El-Sayed listing reasons "why fireworks suck" and asking viewers if Americans could "PLEASE" find another way to celebrate the Fourth of July. SubscribeIn another removed video, El-Sayed floated the idea of replacing the Second Amendment's right to bear arms with a constitutional right to health care. Notably, El-Sayed himself played high school football as a captain and has referenced his athletic background positively in other contexts, a detail his campaign emphasizes when discussing the controversy. El-Sayed supports abolishing ICE and replacing it with a different enforcement structure.