Rep. Ilhan Omar slams Trump over "staged" attack claims: "He lacks decency"

US Representative Ilhan Omar issued a blistering response to President Donald Trump on Wednesday after he suggested that a physical assault against her earlier this week was "probably staged."

The war of words follows a chaotic incident on Tuesday evening during a town hall in North Minneapolis. As Omar addressed a crowd regarding her calls to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a man identified as 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak rushed the podium.

According to witnesses and video footage, the assailant used a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at the congresswoman while shouting that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would not resign.

"She Probably Had Herself Sprayed"

Asked about the attack during an interview with ABC News just hours after the event, President Trump dismissed the severity of the incident.

"I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud," Trump said. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."

Read more: VIDEO: Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar sprayed by unknown substance during speech

The President’s comments were met with swift backlash from Minnesota officials and Democratic leadership, who pointed to the suspect’s history of pro-Trump social media posts. The liquid sprayed at Omar was later determined by authorities to be non-toxic, though it reportedly carried a "sour, chemical-like smell."

Omar's Response

Appearing on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday night, Omar was asked to reflect on the President’s skepticism. Collins contrasted Trump's reaction with Omar’s own response to the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, where she had called the event a "tragedy" and urged for "calmness and decency."

"What went through your mind when you heard the president's response last night?" Collins asked.

"The difference between the president and I is that I was raised to be a decent human being and my faith teaches me to have compassion, and he lacks both of those things," Omar replied.

Omar had argued that Trump’s "hateful rhetoric" toward her and the Somali-American community directly correlates with a rise in death threats against her. She noted that the suspect in Tuesday’s attack appeared motivated by Trump’s immigration policies.

Investigation

Kazmierczak remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault. The FBI has taken over the lead on the investigation.

The attack occurred during a period of intense civil unrest in Minneapolis following two high-profile fatal shootings by federal agents during a recent immigration crackdown. Omar has been a vocal critic of the administration's "siege" of her city, calling for the resignation of Secretary Noem and the complete dismantling of ICE.

Despite the assault, Omar refused to end the town hall on Tuesday, returning to the podium to finish her remarks. "I'm a survivor, so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work," she posted on X shortly after.