Trump candidate befuddles with claim he 'saw' socialism 44 years before he was born

A 26-year-old Trump-endorsed congressional candidate claimed Tuesday he "saw" socialism taking hold in Cuba, a full 44 years before he was born.

Michael Alfonso, 26, is running for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District in an Aug. 11 Republican primary, Spectrum News reported. He is the son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who held the seat for eight years.

"This rise of socialism here in the United States, it's a really scary thing, especially for me and my family," Alfonso said on radio host David Webb's SiriusXM show.

"My grandparents came to this country from Cuba," he continued. "I saw what happens when socialism starts gaining a foothold somewhere. It turns into communism, and then you have to flee."

Alfonso was born in 2000, according to his own account. His grandfather immigrated to the United States in 1956 — three years before Fidel Castro's revolution toppled Cuba's government and brought communism to the island.

"My grandfather came to the country in 1956 as a political refugee from Cuba," Alfonso told DrydenWire in October 2025. "He came with his wife, who was pregnant with my father, and they set up a life in Chicago, Illinois."

On the Webb show, Alfonso referred to "grandparents" — plural — coming from Cuba. The DrydenWire interview describes only his grandfather making that journey.

Duffy transferred $1 million from his old campaign account to a super PAC supporting Alfonso, PBS Wisconsin reported.

President Donald Trump endorsed Alfonso in January, calling him a "MAGA Warrior," according to Spectrum News.

The Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, 2026.