Trump Claims Omar ‘Staged’ Attack as House Republicans Rally To Her Defense

While President Trump leads a MAGA charge suggesting that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar staged an attack against herself, House Republicans are uniformly condemning the assault on their Democratic colleague from Minnesota.Ms. Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance by a man at a Minneapolis town hall on Tuesday night. Mr. Trump dismissed the attack in an interview with ABC News, saying, “she probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.” Armchair observers have also set about analyzing the video to suggest she sent a signal to the man in the first row, who stood up to assault her after she demanded that ICE be abolished.But Mr. Trump’s comments stand in stark contrast to a wave of support from House Republicans, who are coalescing around the progressive “Squad” member in a rare show of bipartisan solidarity.“What happened at Rep. Ilhan Omar’s town hall — where she was sprayed with a substance during the event — is completely unacceptable. Regardless of political views, we should all agree this behavior crosses a line and cannot be tolerated,” Congressman Mike Lawler, New York Republican, wrote on X.“This is totally unacceptable. I am glad Rep. Omar is okay,” Congressman Pete Stauber, Minnesota Republican, wrote on X.Congresswoman Nancy Mace echoed those sentiments, noting that while she “deeply disagreed” with Ms. Omar’s politics, she was “deeply disturbed” by the attack. “No elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are,” the South Carolina Republican wrote on X.Congressman Nathaniel Moran, a Texas Republican, emphasized that “political, religious, and ideological differences never justify violence,” adding in a post on X that “those who resort to violence to make a political point should understand that such actions only undermine the very rights that form the foundation of our Republic.”The nearly universal condemnation comes as lawmakers suggest they need to be increasingly concerned for their safety. Congressman Tom Barrett noted a 57 percent increase in threats against members of Congress since the start of 2024. “The assault on Congresswoman Omar is disturbing and unacceptable, and the attacker must be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” the Michigan Republican wrote on X.Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri summarized the prevailing mood among Ms. Omar’s Republican colleagues: “I fully condemn this kind of behavior toward ANY elected officials, regardless of their political affiliations or beliefs. I do not agree with @IlhanMN on most everything, but this is wrong,” he wrote on XWhile Republicans focused on the act of violence itself, several Democrats linked the attack to rhetoric from Republicans leaders, most notably the president.“Trump’s hateful, dangerous rhetoric fuels this kind of political violence, and we must all reject it,” Congressman Rob Menendez of New Jersey wrote on X.Fellow “Squad” member Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also weighed in: “It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and (Vice President) Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall.”The incident occurred minutes after Ms. Omar’s town hall began. Footage shows a man, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, yelling at Ms. Omar while she was at the podium before spraying her with a substance from a syringe. Ms. Omar, who began to approach the assailant immediately after he was quickly restrained by security officers, refused to pause her remarks, even as a woman standing next to her noted that the substance smelled bad and security suggested that she retreat from the event.After the attack, Ms. Omar wrote on X: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win.” The Minneapolis Police Department arrested and charged Mr. Kazmierczak with third-degree assault.

Trump Claims Omar ‘Staged’ Attack as House Republicans Rally To Her Defense

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