Rep. Ilhan Omar on Wednesday openly questioned Donald Trump’s mental fitness, saying his repeated denials of thinking about her contradict years of public attacks that have fueled threats against her and her family.
Speaking at a press conference in Minneapolis, Omar connected Trump’s rhetoric to an incident the night before, when a man rushed her at a lectern and sprayed her with liquid as she addressed a crowd. She said Trump had been speaking about her and Somali Minnesotans just moments before the confrontation.
“It is ironic that just last night he was on stage, moments before I was attacked, talking about me,” Omar said. “Then when asked about the attack, he said, ‘I don’t think about her.’ Does he not remember? Is he suffering from dementia?”
Omar said Trump mentioned her by name multiple times during his remarks, making his later dismissal difficult to reconcile. “How do you spend 20 or 30 minutes obsessing over me and then claim you don’t think about me at all?” she asked.
Since Trump’s first presidency, Omar has been a frequent target of conspiratorial, racist, and xenophobic attacks. She said those remarks have had real-world consequences, including a steady rise in death threats that at times required as many as six Capitol Police officers to protect her and her family.
“Every time the president of the United States chooses hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” Omar said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today, paying for security, if he wasn’t so obsessed with me.”
The attack suspect, Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and charged after allegedly spraying Omar with liquid and attempting to disrupt the event. According to court records cited by the Associated Press, Kazmierczak has a long criminal history, including a felony auto theft conviction, multiple DUI arrests, traffic violations, and two bankruptcy filings.
Social media posts attributed to Kazmierczak show praise for Trump and hostility toward Democrats. In one post, he accused Democrats of lying. In another, he shared racially charged commentary about descendants of enslaved people. Authorities have not alleged a broader conspiracy, but Omar said the incident reflects the climate created by years of inflammatory political speech.
The White House has not publicly commented on the attack. Trump, however, told ABC News that Omar may have staged the incident herself, offering no evidence to support the claim.
Questions about Trump’s health have followed him since returning to office last year. Critics have pointed to episodes in which he appeared to fall asleep during meetings, unexplained bruising on his hand, swollen ankles, and repeated verbal lapses. In November, Trump said he did not know which part of his body doctors examined during an MRI taken as part of an unusual six-month physical.
The White House has consistently dismissed concerns, citing statements from Trump’s physician that describe him as in excellent health.
For Omar, the issue is less about speculation and more about accountability. She said Trump’s repeated fixation on her and Somali Americans has normalized hostility and put lives at risk.
“When the most powerful person in the country uses dehumanizing language,” she said, “people listen, and some of them act.”