Ilhan Omar Called 'Nightmare For America' In Trump's Latest Twitter Attack
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – In his latest Twitter attack against Rep. Ilhan Omar, President Donald Trump predicted he'll win Minnesota in 2020, in part, because Omar and her fellow progressive congresswomen in "The Squad" are a "nightmare for America."
Trump's Tuesday morning Twitter volley against Omar, whom he has targeted repeatedly this month, called her an "America hating anti-Semite." He also quoted Omar, who told her supporters in Minnesota last week that she vowed to be a "nightmare" to the president.
"'We are going to be a nightmare to the President,' she say. No, AOC Plus 3 are a Nightmare for America!" Trump tweeted.
In 2016 I almost won Minnesota. In 2020, because of America hating anti-Semite Rep. Omar, & the fact that Minnesota is having its best economic year ever, I will win the State! "We are going to be a nightmare to the President," she say. No, AOC Plus 3 are a Nightmare for America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019
"He is going to hope that running on her identity -- on who she is -- running against her positions like that he can rally his base across the state of Minnesota, especially in rural areas," David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University, said.
Omar addressed Trump Tuesday morning at a conference in Washington D.C. sponsored by the Muslim Congressional Caucus. She said that while Trump's recent remarks were racist "people forget the inherent racism that has always been part of him."
Trump's recent focus on Omar and the other members of The Squad – Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan – began on July 14, when he tweeted that they should leave the U.S. and go back to the "broken and crime infested places from which they came."
Only Omar was born outside the U.S., in Somalia. She spent her childhood in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to Minnesota at the age of 12. She became an American citizen in 2000.
The Democratic-led House condemned Trump's "go back" tweet as racist. Only four Republicans voted to condemn the president's language. None were from Minnesota.
RELATED: The Truth About Immigrants In Minnesota
The condemnation has not stopped Trump from tweeting or targeting the Squad, particularly Omar.
At a North Carolina rally last week, he aimed heavy criticism at the Minnesota congresswoman and did nothing to stop his supporters from chanting "Send her back! Send her back!" A day later, the president said he disagreed with the chant, adding that he'll try to stop it in the future.
The continued fiery exchange between the president and the congresswoman have prompted fears about her safety. Among those voicing concerns, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Klobuchar fired back at Trump's Tuesday tweet, saying "You'll never win Minnesota, Donald Trump. I'll make sure of it."
"She needs protection. She is really in danger. I am very concerned about it," Jackson said.
Over the weekend, the president's Twitter attacks on the Squad continued. On Sunday, Trump said he didn't believe the Squad members were "capable of loving our country." On Monday, he called them "racist troublemakers" who were pulling the Democratic Party to the far left.
On Sunday, Omar didn't directly address Trump's weekend tweets while at a Black Business Week event in the Twin Cities, but she did say that "racism is fatiguing" and gets in the way of her work "undoing systems of oppression."
The latest back and forth with the president took place the same day as two separate but very similar complaints were filed against Omar with the House Ethics Committee, accusing her of tax, student loan and immigration fraud, as well as perjury and bigamy.
One complaint was filed by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group. The other was filed by State Rep. Steve Drazkowski, who also announced he was creating a website, OmarTruth.com, where people can submit information about the congresswoman.
RELATED: Rep. Drazkowski Files Complaint Demanding Ethics Investigation Into Rep. Omar
Rep. Omar has repeatedly denied allegations that she married her brother to help his immigration status.
WCCO reached out to the House Ethics Committee about the complaints filed Tuesday and have not heard back. The committee is controlled by Democrats and is not expected to move quickly against the claims filed against Omar.
Trump's tweet Tuesday was the second time this month where he predicted he'll win Minnesota in 2020. The first happened amid a controversy surrounding the dropping of the Pledge of Allegiance at St. Louis Park city council meetings. The pledge has since been reinstated.
