Golf legend Phil Mickelson criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Saturday after the congresswoman made controversial comments about Charlie Kirk and his legacy.
During an interview on CNN, Omar discussed her recent social media posts, in which she called Kirk “Dr. Frankenstein” and said his legacy should be left in the “dustbin of history.”
“What I find jarring is that so many people are willing to excuse the most terrible things he said, that they agree with it, want to have monuments for him, create a day to honor him, and produce resolutions in the House of Congress celebrating his life and legacy,” Omar said.
“I am not going to sit here and be judged for not wanting to honor any legacy this man has left behind. It should be in the dustbin of history, and we should move on and forget the hate he spread every day.”
Mickelson responded to Omar’s comments on X, saying he hopes she is “sent back to Somalia soon.”
“Ilhan spews hate every time she opens her mouth. She came here fraudulently and will hopefully be sent back to Somalia soon,” Mickelson wrote.
Mickelson received mostly praise for his response on X. He has been openly supportive of Kirk following his assassination in Utah, frequently posting to commemorate the conservative influencer and celebrate his life.
Mickelson previously said he believed the assassination revealed “some of the best in humanity and also exposed some of the worst.”
“The assassination of Charlie Kirk is bringing out some of the best in humanity and also exposing some of the worst,” he wrote on X. “The support, love, and outcry for him around the world is heartwarming.
“The number of people supporting Tyler Robinson’s terrible behavior has shown me a side of extremism with a moral superiority complex that has shaken my faith in people. I hope they are held accountable for their disgusting words.”
Meanwhile, Omar has faced criticism from GOP colleagues since making her comments about Kirk.
She was particularly criticized after an interview with the progressive outlet Zeteo, where she criticized Kirk’s past statements and Republicans’ response to the shooting. She later said her words were taken out of context and called Kirk’s death “mortifying.”
She told Zeteo days after Kirk’s death that he had “downplayed slavery and what Black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth shouldn’t exist.”
“There are a lot of people saying he just wanted a civil debate,” Omar said. “Nothing is more wrong than pretending his words and actions over the last decade don’t exist.”
Amid the backlash, she posted on X: “While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy, and compassion. Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story about my condemnation of his murder is part of their agenda to villainize the left and hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate daily.”
Omar also reposted a video on X, in which others said, “Don’t be fooled, these people don’t care about Charlie Kirk. They’re using his death to further their Christo-fascist agenda.”
Some of Omar’s colleagues defended her against censure and Republican criticism.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., tried to force a vote to censure Omar over her reaction to Kirk’s death, but the motion failed when four Republicans and all Democrats voted against it.
House Main Street Caucus Chairman Mike Flood, R-Neb., will refer Omar to the House Ethics Committee, according to Fox News Digital.
The complaints include Omar’s “obnoxious, insulting, and dismissive comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Flood said. He also cited her alleged support for illegal immigrants and her use of TikTok for mixed official and campaign content, which may violate House rules.
