Ilhan Omar Questions Trump's Mental State and Links His Rhetoric to Surge in Threats
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has publicly suggested that former President Donald Trump may be suffering from dementia and is obsessively focused on her, directly connecting his verbal assaults to a dramatic increase in death threats against her. This comes in the wake of a disturbing incident where Omar was sprayed with a foul-smelling liquid during a townhall meeting in Minneapolis, where she was criticising Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.
Attack Linked to Trump's Immigration Rhetoric
Omar detailed that the individual who attacked her was specifically angered by what he perceived as insufficient deportations of Somali individuals under Trump's policies. "The man that attacked me was specifically upset that Trump's order to deport Somalis was not yielding enough deportations of Somalis," Omar explained to reporters. "So he wanted to come and get the person he thought was protecting the Somalis. Well, we are protected by the Constitution." This incident underscores the tangible consequences of divisive political discourse.
Omar Accuses Trump of Fueling Abuse Through Public Vilification
The congresswoman went further, asserting that the abuse and threats she endures have been significantly amplified by Trump's repeated public targeting. "I wouldn't be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government think about providing me security, if Donald Trump wasn't in office and if he wasn't so obsessed with me," she stated. Omar highlighted a stark contradiction in Trump's behaviour, noting that he spent considerable time attacking her by name at a rally just hours before the assault, only to later claim he does not think about her.
"It is ironic that just last night he was on stage moments before I was attacked, talking about me. And then when asked about my attack he said, 'I don't think about her'. Does he not remember? Is he suffering from dementia? How do you spend 20, 30 minutes on stage, obsessing over me, by name, multiple times, and then moments later say, 'Ilhan Omar, I don't think about her'," Omar questioned, casting doubt on his cognitive consistency.
Death Threats Skyrocket Following Trump's Hateful Rhetoric
Omar revealed that the volume of threats she receives has fluctuated with presidential administrations. "Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket," she added. She noted that threats plummeted during the Biden presidency but have since surged, making her currently receive the most death threats of any member of Congress. This pattern illustrates the direct impact of national leadership's language on political violence and safety concerns.
Trump's History of Targeting Omar and Somali Community
Donald Trump has a documented history of making derogatory remarks about Somali immigrants, who constitute a significant minority in Minneapolis. He has labelled them as "garbage" and called for Omar, who was born in Somalia, to be deported or imprisoned. In a rally in Iowa hours before the attack, Trump singled out Omar, stating, "We need people to come in legally, but they have to show that they can love our country, not hate our country. They have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud. Not like Ilhan Omar ... she comes from a country that’s a disaster. It’s not even a country."
Trump's Dismissive Response to the Attack
Following the assault, Trump responded in a manner that many found dismissive and conspiratorial. When questioned by an ABC reporter if he had seen the video of the incident, he replied, "No. I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her." Upon being asked again, he added, "I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother." This response has further fueled criticisms of his attitude towards political violence and his ongoing feud with the congresswoman.
