Rep. Ilhan Omar said threats against her have reached their highest level since she entered Congress, linking a surge in death threats to renewed attacks from President Donald Trump following an assault at a Minneapolis town hall. Speaking Wednesday at Karmel Mall, less than a day after a man rushed the stage and sprayed her with liquid, the Minnesota Democrat placed responsibility squarely on the president's rhetoric.
"Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket," Omar said, according to Fox News. She described the current environment as the most dangerous she has faced since taking office in 2019.
Omar said the escalation followed Trump's return to the White House, noting that threats had declined during Joe Biden's four years in office. By the end of Trump's first term, she had become the most threatened member of Congress, with Capitol Police assigning six officers to protect her and her family around the clock.
The latest incident occurred Tuesday evening as Omar addressed a community gathering. Authorities said Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, jumped from the front row holding a syringe and sprayed liquid in her direction before security subdued him. Minneapolis police arrested him on suspicion of third-degree assault, and Omar continued speaking for roughly 25 minutes after the disruption.
Investigators believe the substance was apple cider vinegar, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement source who said witnesses noticed a sharp vinegar smell but that none of the approximately 100 attendees showed physical reactions. PBS News reported that Kazmierczak's criminal history includes a 1989 felony conviction for auto theft and multiple drink-driving arrests, and that his social media posts were critical of Democrats and supportive of Trump.
Omar told reporters the attacker was motivated by frustration with immigration enforcement. She said Kazmierczak was angry that more Somalis had not been deported and viewed her as an obstacle. "Well, we are protected by the Constitution," she said.
The congresswoman has been a frequent target of Trump since she arrived in Washington. In 2019, he told Omar and three other lawmakers to "go back" to their countries, a remark that drew bipartisan condemnation. Omar, who was born in Somalia and arrived in the U.S. as a child refugee, is the only member of that group born outside the country.
Trump dismissed the Minneapolis incident when asked about it, telling CNN that he did not think about Omar and calling her "a fraud" who "probably had herself sprayed, knowing her." His comments drew scrutiny because he had criticized Omar by name at an Iowa rally just hours before the assault, prompting loud boos at the mention of her name.
Capitol Police said they are weighing federal charges against Kazmierczak for assaulting a member of Congress. The agency has reported a sharp increase in threats against lawmakers, rising from about 9,000 in 2024 to more than 14,000 last year.
