Topline
A man lunged at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and sprayed her with an unidentified liquid on Tuesday evening while she was conducting a town hall in her Congressional district to discuss the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Key Facts
The attack on Omar took place shortly after she called for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.
After charging at her, the man used what appeared to be a syringe to spray an unknown liquid substance with a strong odor at the Congresswoman.
The man was quickly tackled to the ground by security staff and later arrested.
After a quick pause, Omar insisted she would continue—despite her staffers and security team members urging her not to and get checked first.
She then told the crowd. “Here’s the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand…We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
How Has President Donald Trump Reacted To The Incident?
Omar, who is an immigrant from Somalia, has been a recurring target of President Donald Trump’s attacks. While speaking to ABC News on Tuesday night, Trump was asked whether he had seen a video of the attack on Omar, and said, “No. I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that.” The president then baselessly claimed: “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” despite the attacker being arrested and charged with third degree assault. During a rally in Iowa just hours before the incident, Trump said immigrants won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. unless they show “they can love our country…Not like Ilhan Omar.” He then continued his attacks on Omar and her country of birth, Somalia, saying: “She comes from a country that’s a disaster…They’re good at one thing. Pirates.”
This is a developing story.