Rep. Ilhan Omar says she’s faced increased death threats since President Donald Trump spread around a video that purports to show her being dismissive of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “This is endangering lives,” she said, accusing Trump of fomenting right-wing extremism. “It has to stop.”
Her statement late Sunday followed an announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she has taken steps to ensure the safety of the Minnesota Democrat and the speaker’s call for Trump to take down the video.
Soon after Pelosi’s statement, the video disappeared as a pinned tweet at the top of Trump’s Twitter feed, but it was not deleted.
And Trump further escalated the standoff Monday morning, tweeting that, “Before Nancy, who has lost all control of Congress and is getting nothing done, decides to defend her leader, Rep. Omar, she should look at the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and ungrateful U.S. HATE statements Omar has made”
“She is out of control, except for her control of Nancy!” Trump added.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET! pic.twitter.com/VxrGFRFeJM
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019
Pelosi was among Democrats who had criticized Trump over the tweet , with some accusing him of trying to incite violence against the Muslim lawmaker. An upstate New York man recently was charged with making death threats against her.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended Trump earlier Sunday, saying the president has a duty to highlight Omar’s history of making comments that others deem anti-Semitic or otherwise offensive and that he wished no “ill will” upon the first-term lawmaker.
But Omar said that since Trump retweeted the video Friday night, she’s received many threats on her life that referred or replied to the posted video.
“Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and white nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world,” she said. “We can no longer ignore that they are being encouraged by the occupant of the highest office in the land.” She said: “We are all Americans.”
Before Nancy, who has lost all control of Congress and is getting nothing done, decides to defend her leader, Rep. Omar, she should look at the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and ungrateful U.S. HATE statements Omar has made. She is out of control, except for her control of Nancy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
Earlier, Pelosi issued a statement while traveling in London saying she had spoken with congressional authorities “to ensure that Capitol Police are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family and her staff.”
Pelosi said officials will continue to monitor and assess threats against Omar and called on Trump to discourage such behavior.
“The President’s words weigh a ton, and his hateful and inflammatory rhetoric creates real danger,” Pelosi said. “President Trump must take down his disrespectful and dangerous video.”
[WATCH: Rep. Dan Crenshaw Reacts To Ilhan Omar’s Comments About 9/11]
The video in Trump’s tweet included a snippet from a recent speech Omar gave to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in which she described the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center as “some people did something,” along with news footage of the hijacked airplanes hitting the Twin Towers. Trump captioned his tweet with: “WE WILL NEVER FORGET!”
Critics accuse Omar of being flippant in describing the perpetrators of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. She later sought to defend herself by tweeting a quote from President George W. Bush, in which the Republican president referred to the attackers as “people” just days after 9/11.
Neither Trump’s tweet nor the video included Omar’s full quote or the context of her comments, which were about Muslims feeling that their civil liberties had eroded after the attacks. The tweet was posted atop Trump’s Twitter feed for much of Sunday, with more than 9 million views. It remained lower in the feed after Pelosi requested that the video be pulled.
Sanders questioned why Democrats weren’t following Trump’s example and calling out Omar, too. Democrats who criticized the president over the tweet defended Omar, with some noting their past disagreements with her.
“Certainly the president is wishing no ill will and certainly not violence towards anyone, but the president is absolutely and should be calling out the congresswoman for her — not only one time — but history of anti-Semitic comments,” Sanders said. “The bigger question is why aren’t Democrats doing the same thing? It’s absolutely abhorrent the comments that she continues to make and has made and they look the other way.”
Omar repeatedly has pushed fellow Democrats into uncomfortable territory with comments about Israel and the strength of the Jewish state’s influence in Washington. She apologized for suggesting that lawmakers support Israel for pay and said she isn’t criticizing Jews. But she refused to take back a tweet in which she suggested American supporters of Israel “pledge allegiance” to a foreign country.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat who represents Manhattan’s financial district, which was targeted on 9/11, said he had no issues with Omar’s characterization of the attack.
“I have had some problems with some of her other remarks, but not — but not with that one,” he said.
Sanders commented on “Fox News Sunday” and ABC’s “This Week.” Nadler appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union.
(AP)
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12 Responses
She’s one big dirty diaper! And diapers need to be disposed of!
But yet Pelosi and Nadler have no problem with Snoop Dogg insinuating shooting President Trump. They have no problem with a certain female dog who threatened to blow up the White House. That and other incitements don’t bother these Democrats because they were made against an evil white heterosexual bigoted racist Republican. It’s only against a divorced female Muslim that they’re concerned. Hypocrites.
When she’s targeted screams about the danger refers to it as violence and acts of hate, calling out as extremists nationalist etc et al…Very strong language wouldn’t it be fair that she refer to threats against her as something some people said they may do
What’s with this insane obsession in the Democratic party to allow this woman to continue unchecked? When does it end? At what point will they accept that she is Anti-American, that it is she who holds dual allegiances?? Is having a Muslim in Congress more important than your very own country?
How is reposting her own words threatening. I’d call it “highlighting”. She’s clearly anti everything america, except for insisting on everyone else tolerating whatever she says, ironically.
The Capitol Police are under the joint direction of the leaders of both houses (and totally separate from the executive branch), so Pelosi can order extra security for any member of her caucus. Given the outrageous sorts of thinks here caucus tolerates when discussing Trump (e.g. cheering someone who called for beheading the president and displaying a mock Trump head), she is hardly in a position to complain about much milder speech from the Republicans.
Ilhan Omar should be deported back to Somalia where she will be more safe.
This pattern is the PC of today. Someone who abuses others jumps up to claim victimhood. Omar y”sh is a terror supporter, and her remarks reflect the evil in her heart. Her position in Congress gives her a tad of power,, and that is scary for everyone with a moral value to them. When her evil is highlighted, it suddenly transforms into a threat, requiring security, and counter accusations. How sick. May every one the politicians who endorse this approach be voted out of public office. Yes, Nadler, Pelosi, Waters, AOC, Talib, and the rest. As far as I am concerned, they manifest something we hoped to have eliminated when Obama left office. It was erroneous to say there wasn’t a terrorist Obama would not support. It was more accurate to say there was no terrorist he wouldn’t look to fund. That’s these rogue politicians. May they be forced out of politics ASAP.
How about ordering for us some security protection from her!
IMAGINE Three New Congress women with NO Experience, including a former Bartender, and intheir first few months in the halls of US Government they are shooting off their mounths insulting veteran members and the president left and right as if they are the new rulers of the US?!?!?? Is this what would happen SOuth AMerican Migrants would be allowed to Overwhelm our country and SYstem as well as Islamic Jihadists???!!!!! Maybe thisis what the Democratic Party had in mind for our country?!?!?
Pathetic world! Trump should put a little more thought in his comments,posts and tweets but by golly can she PLEASE apologize for her callous, shallow and unsympathetic choice of words towards the nearly 3000 victims!
OK Rep. Ilhan Omar , now it is your turn to show that it is not just Jews you hate but all infidels, like Christians as well. How about a comment on the fire in Paris yesterday. What about “things happen, like the Twin Towers collapsed, so did the spire at the French place”. That will show the world both how genuine you are in your hated of all non muslims and how you are not afraid of POTUS Trump.