Several Democratic presidential candidates defended freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) on Friday after President Donald Trump and Republicans slammed her for minimizing the September 11 terrorist attacks to "some people did something."
Speaking to the Council on American Islamic Relations at a March fundraiser, Omar talked about the difficulties Muslims faced following the Sept. 11, 2001, al Qaeda attacks. She claimed they saw their civil liberties infringed upon, and she referred to the events as an instance when "some people did something." Her point was to praise CAIR for organizing in response.
After the video went viral, Republicans and some Democrats in Congress voiced their disgust at the comment. Trump tweeted out a video of Omar's comments followed by footage of the airplanes flying into the Twin Towers and then the towers collapsing, sparking outrage from Democrats who believed criticism of Omar's comment was "inciting violence" against her.
Several 2020 Democrats, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Jay Inslee (Wash.), and former Gov. John Hickenlooper (Colo.) have slammed Trump for his tweet.
"The President is inciting violence against a sitting Congresswoman—and an entire group of Americans based on their religion," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) 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
The threats against the life of @IlhanMN make clear what is at stake if we fail to to do this, and to beat back hate in all all its forms.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 13, 2019
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
President Trump's inflammatory and dangerous rhetoric towards Ilhan Omar is jeopardizing her safety. He is deliberately putting her and all Muslim Americans in harm's way.
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) April 13, 2019
Someone has already been charged with a serious threat on Congresswoman Omar’s life. The video the President chose to send out today will only incite more hate. You can disagree with her words—as I have done before—but this video is wrong. Enough.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) April 13, 2019
President Trump's personal attack against Representative Omar is vile and shameful. It's not just below the office, it's dangerous and dishonest.
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) April 13, 2019
MoveOn.org, a large progressive activist group, also rushed to the defense of Omar in a tweet thread, calling her courageous and a "champion of the U.S. House."
Omar champions democracy reforms, ending the culture of endless wars, calling out white supremacists & war criminals in the @realdonaldtrump administration, & fiercely defending human rights of immigrants & asylum-seekers.
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) April 13, 2019