Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said late Sunday she has experienced a surge in death threats ever since President Trump tweeted out a video critical of her remarks about the Sept. 11 attacks.
The video Trump posted on Friday juxtaposes a portion of Omar’s speech to the Council for American-Islamic Relations, during which she referred to the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 as “some people who did something,” with video footage of the World Trade Center’s twin towers and the Pentagon burning.
“Since the President’s tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life—many directly referencing or replying to the President’s video,” Omar said in the statement.
“Violent rhetoric and all forms of hate speech have no place in our society, much less from our country’s Commander in Chief,” Omar said. “We are all Americans. This is endangering lives. It has to stop.”
Even before Trump tweeted the video, Omar was subject to an onslaught of criticism ever since her speech was first reported by right-leaning media.
The New York Post’s front page featured a photo of the World Trade Center’s twin towers after the two planes hit. “Rep. Ilhan Omar: 9/11 was ‘some people did something,’” the headline read, under which in bold letters said, “Here’s your something.” The bottom of the cover added: “2,977 people dead by terrorism.”
Freshman Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, also denounced Omar’s comments as “unbelievable,” sparking a heated Twitter feud. “First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as ‘some people who did something,’” Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, said in one tweet.
First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as “some people who did something”.
Unbelievable. https://t.co/IKtoZWWmIT
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 9, 2019
In the statement, Omar linked to a full video of her remarks. Some Democrats have come to Omar’s defense since the controversy, including fellow freshman Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Tlaib and Omar made history as the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress.
Authorities charged a New York man earlier this month with threatening to assassinate Omar.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., demanded Trump remove the video from his Twitter feed in a statement Sunday after she spoke with security on Capitol Hill about the matter.
“Following the president’s tweet, I spoke with the Sergeant-at-Arms to ensure that Capitol Police are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family and her staff. They will continue to monitor and address the threats she faces,” Pelosi said in a statement. “The president’s words weigh a ton, and his hateful and inflammatory rhetoric creates real danger. President Trump must take down his disrespectful and dangerous video.”
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Sunday Trump meant no “ill will” by posting the video, but reiterated that “the president is absolutely and should be calling out the congresswoman for her not only one-time, but history of anti-Semitic comments.”
Following the controversy, White House social media director Dan Scavino posted an article by the Washington Examiner on Facebook with the caption: “Chances of removing video = 0.00%.”
Omar has been criticized in the past for her controversial statements against pro-Israel organizations and supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship. In February, she accused AIPAC of buying votes and was condemned by both Republican and Democrat leaders as playing on an anti-Semitic trope regarding Jewish money.
