WASHINGTON, Jan 28: US President Donald Trump has suggested that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar may have staged an incident during her town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Tuesday night. During the event, a man sprayed her with an unknown substance.
Speaking to ABC News, Trump stated, “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,” and added, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” without providing evidence.
When asked if he had seen video footage of the incident, the president responded, “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother.”
A livestream of the town hall captured the moment when the man stood and yelled at Ms. Omar, a Democrat. At the time, she was demanding the resignation or impeachment of US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, following two fatal shootings involving immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis. The suspect was subsequently tackled and arrested after spraying Ms. Omar.
Despite the disruption, Ms. Omar continued with the event, declaring, “They are not going to get away with it.”
Later, she adopted an even more defiant tone, saying, “I’ve survived war and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation or whatever these people think they can throw at me, because I’m built that way.”
The Minnesota Democrat later posted on social platform X, stating, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.” She further asserted, “I don’t let bullies win,” expressing gratitude towards her constituents, “Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
Trump has a history of making xenophobic remarks about Ms. Omar, who is the only Somali American in Congress. Just hours before the town hall incident, he criticized her during remarks in Iowa, saying, “She comes from a country that’s a disaster. It’s considered, I think, the worst [country]. It’s not even a country.”
