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By Jordan King
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President Donald Trump told a reporter that Ilhan Omar "probably had herself sprayed" after a man charged at the Democratic U.S. Representative during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis and appeared to squirt a liquid at her.
Omar was hosting the event on Tuesday when a man rushed toward the stage and seemed to spray an unknown substance with a syringe toward her before being tackled to the ground and restrained.
ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott spoke to the president by phone on Tuesday evening, and Trump said he hadn't seen a video of the incident.
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"I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud," he was reported as saying. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."
Newsweek has contacted the White House and Omar, via email outside of normal working hours, for comment.
Why It Matters
The incident at the town hall unfolded amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis over federal immigration enforcement.
Just before the attack, Omar had called to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. Omar, the first Somali American elected to Congress, has been a frequent target of Trump.
Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, with assessment cases rising for the third year in a row to nearly 15,000 in 2025, up from roughly 9,500 in 2024, according to the U.S. Capitol Police.
What To Know
Video from the town hall showed a man in a black jacket rush the podium and appear to squirt a liquid at Omar before security subdued him.
Audience members cheered as the man was restrained and his arms were secured behind his back. Omar was not injured and continued with her remarks after the attack.
"Here's the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand; we are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us,” she said.
Police identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak as the suspect, according to The Associated Press. Minneapolis police told Newsweek that officers working at the town hall observed the man "use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto US Representative Ilhan Omar."
Online records reviewed by Newsweek show Kazmierczak was booked at the county jail on Tuesday evening for third-degree assault. It was not immediately clear if Kazmierczak had an attorney.
Laura Loomer, a MAGA influencer and longtime ally of the president, shared Trump’s comments about the attack on Omar, saying: “I just love President Trump so much.”
Loomer also posted a video of the attack with the caption: “Wow. Looks like she prompted him. So fake.”
What People Are Saying
Ilhan Omar said in a post on X: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X: “I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today. Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric—and I do - no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.”
Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wrote on X: “I’m glad that Congresswoman Omar is safe. Our state has been shattered by political violence in the last year. The cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by our nation’s leaders needs to stop immediately.”
What Happens Next
Kazmierczak is being held without bail, booking records show. It was not immediately clear when he would make an appearance in court. Authorities have yet to publicly identify the substance.
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