- Ilhan Omar Blames Trump’s Rhetoric After Man Attacks Her at Minneapolis Town Hall
- Police said the incident occurred on Tuesday when a man charged the podium and sprayed an unknown liquid at the congresswoman using a syringe
- Just moments before the incident, Omar had called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
US Representative Ilhan Omar has blamed President Donald Trump’s rhetoric for an attack on her during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, saying repeated verbal assaults from the president have fuelled threats against her and her community, Eko Hot Blog reports.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, a day after the incident, Omar said threats against her consistently rise whenever the president targets her with what she described as hateful language.
“Blame is very interesting, but facts are more important,” Omar said. “What the facts have shown since I’ve been in elected office is that every time the president uses hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community I represent, my death threats skyrocket.”
Police said the incident occurred on Tuesday when a man charged the podium and sprayed an unknown liquid at the congresswoman using a syringe. The suspect, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said preliminary tests showed the liquid was non-toxic. The FBI has taken over the investigation, though neither federal agents nor Minneapolis police have publicly commented on a motive.
Omar suggested the attacker was motivated by anger over Trump’s immigration policies, claiming the man appeared upset that deportations of Somali immigrants were not happening fast enough.
Trump has repeatedly criticised Omar over the years and has recently escalated his rhetoric towards Minnesota’s Somali community, the largest in the United States. In recent weeks, the president referred to Omar using derogatory language and called for her removal from the country.
In a phone interview with ABC News on Tuesday night, Trump said he had not seen footage of the incident and accused Omar, without evidence, of possibly staging the attack.
Asked whether the incident would affect her willingness to attend public events, Omar said she would not be intimidated.
“My presence here should tell you that fear and intimidation don’t work on me,” she said, adding that attempts to pressure her out of public life had failed and would continue to fail.
The attack occurred amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis between local officials and the Trump administration over an immigration crackdown that has resulted in two US citizens being killed during encounters with federal law enforcement.
Just moments before the incident, Omar had called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
US Capitol Police said threats against members of Congress increased for the third consecutive year, with nearly 15,000 concerning statements and communications investigated in 2025. In a statement following the alleged assault, the agency described the attack as unacceptable and said it was working with federal partners to ensure the suspect faces serious charges.
