Ilhan Omar continues work after town hall attack linked to Trump criticism: Report

An attack on Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar at a town hall event in Minneapolis has once again highlighted years of criticism and hostile rhetoric directed at her by US President Donald Trump, according to a report by The New York Times.

The incident followed a rally in Iowa on Tuesday night (27 January) where President Trump spoke about immigration and singled out Omar by name. He told the crowd that immigrants entering the United States should demonstrate that they love the country and added, "not like Ilhan Omar," prompting boos from the audience.

Not long afterward, Omar was attending a community event in North Minneapolis when a man rushed toward the lectern and sprayed her with a strong-smelling liquid. She was not seriously injured. The attack occurred as she was speaking about immigration enforcement and calling for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The report added that the incident came at a time when threats against public officials have become increasingly common, leading many lawmakers to limit or cancel public meetings. Omar, a Somali-born Muslim woman elected to Congress in 2018 as one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the House, has faced particularly high levels of hostility over the years.

During earlier periods when threats intensified, she was assigned a 24-hour security detail from the Capitol Police. That protection is granted at the discretion of the House speaker. Over the past year, she had not been receiving such coverage. After Tuesday's attack, Omar formally requested additional protection, and House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed to provide it, people familiar with the matter told the newspaper.

Her campaign also sent out a fundraising appeal to help cover the cost of private security, which often accompanies her at public events. Despite the incident, Omar continued with her schedule and held a news conference the following day at a shopping center in Minneapolis.

Speaking to reporters, Omar said she was not intimidated and described herself as resilient. She referenced her experiences growing up amid conflict, noting that she fled Somalia with her family at the age of 8 because of civil war. She spent several years in a refugee camp in Kenya before immigrating to the United States and later becoming a US citizen.

The report detailed how President Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar in speeches and on social media, often using strong and personal language about her background and political positions. At a recent cabinet meeting, he referred to her in derogatory terms. At a rally in Pennsylvania in December, he complained about her conduct and questioned why the United States accepted immigrants from certain countries.

Earlier this week, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the Justice Department was investigating Omar and claimed she had accumulated significant personal wealth since arriving in the country. Omar's financial disclosures show that her husband, a venture capitalist, earns millions of dollars in income, though it was not clear how the president arrived at the figure he cited. An earlier investigation into her finances had stalled due to a lack of evidence.

The article also noted that Donald Trump has made broader remarks about Somali immigrants and, in the past, encouraged rally crowds to chant for Omar to be sent back to the country where she was born. He has also promoted unsubstantiated claims about her personal life and legal status.

Omar has responded publicly to such allegations. At one point, she released a timeline of her marital and divorce history in an effort to counter rumors. The report cited Nina Jankowicz, a specialist in online disinformation, who said Omar has been among the most frequently targeted lawmakers, facing a steady stream of accusations and personal attacks over several years.

The attack prompted reactions from lawmakers across the political spectrum. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said online that recent public statements about Omar had contributed to a hostile environment and urged leaders to reflect on their own rhetoric if they wanted tensions to ease.

The report further added that Omar has faced criticism from both parties over past remarks related to Israel and US foreign policy. In 2019, she apologized for a comment that drew bipartisan condemnation. In 2021, she clarified a statement in which she appeared to compare actions by the US government with those of militant groups.

In 2023, the House voted along party lines to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee, citing concerns over her previous comments. At the time, she said on the House floor that she would continue her work despite the decision.

Republican Representative Nancy Mace also responded to the incident, saying that while she strongly disagrees with Omar politically, no elected official should face physical violence.

Following the attack, Omar wrote online that she would not be intimidated and would continue carrying out her duties, emphasizing that she would not allow the incident to deter her from her work, according to the report.