WASHINGTON, Jan 28: US President Donald Trump has accused Ilhan Omar, the hijab-wearing American Congresswoman, of orchestrating an incident at her town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Tuesday night. During the event, a man sprayed her with an unknown substance.
Trump expressed his views to ABC News, saying, “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” without providing evidence.
When questioned about viewing the video of the incident, the president replied, “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother.”
A livestream of the meeting depicted the man standing and shouting at Ms. Omar, a Democrat. She was urging the resignation or impeachment of US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem due to two fatal shootings by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis when the suspect was tackled and arrested after spraying her.
Following the altercation, Ms. Omar continued the town hall, asserting, “(They) are not going to get away with it.”
In further comments after the event, she expressed, “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.”
Later that Tuesday, the Minnesota Democrat wrote on the social platform X: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.” She added, “I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
Trump has often directed xenophobic remarks toward Ms. Omar, the only Somali American in Congress. Earlier on Tuesday in Iowa, he criticized her by stating, “She comes from a country that’s a disaster. It’s considered, I think, the worst [country]. It’s not even a country.”
