Democrats backed Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after President Trump zeroed in on her controversial comments regarding the 9/11 attacks on Friday.
Omar came under fire after she told a Muslim advocacy group that “some people did something” for the 9/11 attacks. In response, Trump tweeted a video with the caption “WE WILL NEVER FORGET!” that included footage from the 9/11 attacks.
But Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., came to the defense of Omar and characterized Trump’s response as “disgusting.”
“The President is inciting violence against a sitting Congresswoman—and an entire group of Americans based on their religion,” Warren tweeted. “It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.”
The President is inciting violence against a sitting Congresswoman—and an entire group of Americans based on their religion. It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 13, 2019
“Ilhan Omar is a leader with strength and courage,” Sanders tweeted. “She won’t back down to Trump’s racism and hate, and neither will we. The disgusting and dangerous attacks against her must end.”
Ilhan Omar is a leader with strength and courage. She won’t back down to Trump’s racism and hate, and neither will we. The disgusting and dangerous attacks against her must end.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 13, 2019
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Friday that she had unsuccessfully tried to contact Omar about her latest controversial tweet about 9/11. The tweet questioned then-President George W. Bush’s New York City comments to rescue workers when he said: “The people who knocked down there towers will hear all of us soon.”
“Was Bush downplaying the terrorist attack? What if he was a Muslim?” Omar said in response.
According to Pelosi, Omar was “in transit” when she attempted to contact her.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with her,” Pelosi said Friday, when asked about Omar’s tweet. “We tried to reach her, she was in transit.”
“As is my custom with my colleagues, I call them in before I call them out,” said Pelosi. “I’ll have some comment after I do speak to her.”
