President Donald Trump suggested that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) may have orchestrated the moment when a man sprayed her with liquid during a town hall Tuesday night.
Omar was speaking at an event in Minneapolis, where she criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and called for her resignation over the agency’s immigration enforcement actions in the city. During her remarks, a man walked up toward the lectern, pointed what appeared to be a plastic syringe-like device, and sprayed an unidentified substance in Omar’s direction.
Security quickly intervened, tackling the man and taking him into custody.
“We will continue,” Omar said after the disruption. “This fking ahole is not getting away with this.”
Police later identified the suspect as Anthony J. Kazmierczak, 55.
Roughly two hours after the incident, ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott said she spoke with Trump and asked whether he had seen video of what happened.
“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,” Trump told Scott.
He added, “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother.”
Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar, who was born in Somalia and has represented Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District since 2019. At a rally last year, he falsely claimed she was “here illegally,” prompting chants of “Send her back!” from the crowd.
Last week, Trump called for Omar to be investigated for what he described as “political crimes.”
He has also made disparaging remarks about Somali immigrants, including comments in December in which he said he did not want Somalis in the United States.
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” Trump said. “Some will say that is not ‘politically correct.’” He added, “I don’t care. Their country is no good for a reason.”
