Major Controversies Surrounding Ilhan Omar: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Ilhan Omar.

Ilhan Omar is a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district, serving since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. Her district encompasses Minneapolis and its inner suburbs. As a politician, she is known for her progressive stances and activism. She is one of the first Somali-American members of Congress, contributing to the diversity of representation in the United States government.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2012: Controversial Tweet About Israel

In 2012, before entering the Minnesota legislature, Ilhan Omar posted a tweet stating, "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." This tweet garnered criticism for employing antisemitic tropes, particularly the notion that Israel had "hypnotized the world."

2014: Joint Tax Filing Issue

In 2014, Ilhan Omar jointly filed taxes with a man she was not legally married to, a practice not permitted in Minnesota.

2015: Joint Tax Filing Issue

In 2015, Ilhan Omar jointly filed taxes with a man she was not legally married to, a practice not permitted in Minnesota.

October 2018: Criticism of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Abuses

In October 2018, Ilhan Omar criticized Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses and the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war. She specifically mentioned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and called for a boycott of the Saudi regime, using the hashtag '#BDSSaudi' on Twitter.

2018: Criticism for Statements About Israel

In 2018, Ilhan Omar faced criticism for statements she had made about Israel before her time in the Minnesota legislature, including a 2012 tweet. After reading a commentary by Bari Weiss, Omar apologized for not "disavowing the anti-Semitic trope I unknowingly used".

2018: Target of online hate speech

In 2018, Ilhan Omar was the prime target of online hate speech, with roughly half of the 90,000 tweets mentioning her including hate speech or Islamophobic or anti-immigrant language, according to a Social Science Research Council study.

2018: Campaign Finance Violation Accusations

In 2018, Republican state representative Steve Drazkowski publicly accused Ilhan Omar of campaign finance violations.

January 2019: Denouncement of Trump Administration's recognition of Juan Guaidó

In January 2019, amid the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Ilhan Omar, along with Democrats Ro Khanna and Tulsi Gabbard, denounced the Trump administration's decision to recognize Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's interim president. Omar described Trump's action as a "U.S. backed coup" and advocated for supporting peaceful dialogue facilitated by Mexico, Uruguay, and the Vatican.

February 2019: Questioning Elliott Abrams' appointment as Special Representative for Venezuela

In February 2019, Ilhan Omar questioned whether Elliott Abrams, appointed as Special Representative for Venezuela, was the correct choice, given his past support of right-wing authoritarian regimes in El Salvador and Guatemala, his initial doubts about the number of deaths in the El Mozote massacre, and his convictions for withholding information from Congress about the Iran–Contra affair.

February 2019: Controversy Over 'It's All About the Benjamins' Comment

In February 2019, after being tagged in a tweet about U.S. political leaders defending a foreign nation at the expense of Americans' free speech rights, Ilhan Omar responded with the quote, "It's All About the Benjamins," alluding to U.S. $100 bills. This sparked accusations of using an antisemitic trope regarding Jews and money, though some defended her comment, suggesting she was referring to the influence of pro-Israel lobbyists like AIPAC.

February 27, 2019: Statements on Allegiance to a Foreign Country

On February 27, 2019, Ilhan Omar stated that it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country, which was criticized as drawing on antisemitic tropes. Despite calls for retraction and apology, Omar reaffirmed her position, emphasizing her right to criticize Israel without being labeled anti-Semitic and highlighting the undue influence of lobbying groups for foreign interests.

March 7, 2019: House Resolution Condemning Bigotry

On March 7, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 407–23 to condemn "anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism and other forms of bigotry" in response to Omar's remarks concerning Israel. The resolution aimed to address various forms of prejudice.

March 2019: Criticism of Barack Obama's Border Policy

In a March 2019 Politico interview, Ilhan Omar criticized Barack Obama's "caging of kids" along the Mexican border. She later accused Politico of distorting her comments and clarified that she was highlighting the differences between President Trump and Obama, focusing on policy rather than politics.

April 11, 2019: New York Post front page controversy

On April 11, 2019, the New York Post's front page featured an image of the World Trade Center burning and a quotation from Ilhan Omar's speech about 9/11, leading to controversy. The headline read, "REP. ILHAN OMAR: 9/11 WAS 'SOME PEOPLE DID SOMETHING'", though Omar's full speech contextualized the quote within the context of civil liberties for Muslims in the U.S.

May 2019: Statement on U.S. foreign policy and Venezuela

In May 2019, Ilhan Omar stated in an interview that she believed U.S. foreign policy and economic sanctions are aimed at regime change and have contributed to the "devastation in Venezuela".

June 2019: Vote Against Border Funding Bill

In June 2019, Ilhan Omar was one of four Democratic representatives who voted against the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, a $4.5 billion border funding bill. She argued that providing more money to organizations committing human rights abuses was not a solution to the humanitarian crisis at the border.

June 2019: Campaign Finance Ruling

In June 2019, Minnesota campaign finance officials ruled that Ilhan Omar had to pay back $3,500 for out-of-state travel and tax filing violations, plus a $500 fine.

July 14, 2019: Trump's tweet about 'The Squad'

On July 14, 2019, President Trump tweeted that The Squad—a group including Ilhan Omar—should "go back" to the "places from which they came". In response, Omar accused Trump of "stoking white nationalism".

July 2019: Initial Statement on Allowing Entry to Israel

In July 2019, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer initially stated that "any member of Congress" would be allowed to enter Israel.

August 2019: Ban from Entering Israel

In August 2019, Ilhan Omar and Representative Rashida Tlaib were banned from entering Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attributed the ban to their support for BDS and Israeli law, which prevents entry to people who call for a boycott of Israel. President Trump also tweeted that Israel allowing the visit would "show great weakness."

September 2019: Condemnation of Netanyahu's Annexation Plans

In September 2019, Ilhan Omar condemned Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to annex the eastern portion of the occupied West Bank, known as the Jordan Valley. She also stated that Israelis should not vote for Netanyahu in the upcoming September 2019 Israeli legislative election.

October 2019: Controversial 'Present' Vote on Armenian Genocide Recognition

In October 2019, Ilhan Omar faced backlash for voting "present" on H.Res. 296, a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide. She explained her vote, stating that accountability and recognition of genocide should not be used as a political cudgel and should also include the Atlantic slave trade and Native American genocide.

March 2020: Omar Marries Tim Mynett

In March 2020, Ilhan Omar married Tim Mynett, a political consultant. His firm, E Street Group, received significant contracts from Omar's campaign, leading to scrutiny.

June 2020: Support for police abolition movement

In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Ilhan Omar supported the police abolition movement in Minneapolis. She expressed that the Minneapolis Police Department had "proven themselves beyond reform" and hoped for a new department modeled after the Camden County Police Department in New Jersey.

November 17, 2020: Omar's Campaign Terminates Contract with Mynett's Firm

On November 17, 2020, Ilhan Omar's campaign terminated its contract with Tim Mynett's firm, E Street Group, to address concerns about potential conflicts of interest and ensure donors' confidence.

2020: Trump's alleged interference

In 2020, Trump's alleged interference in the presidential election in Georgia

2020: Mixed Reaction Among 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates

In 2020, there was mixed reaction among the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates regarding Omar's statements. While Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Bernie Sanders defended her, Senator Cory Booker found her comments "disturbing" but recognized anti-Islamic sentiment in some of the attacks against her. The controversy led to a resolution condemning antisemitism, later amended to include Islamophobia, racism, and homophobia, which the House passed on March 7.

January 7, 2021: Introduced Impeachment Articles Against Trump

On January 7, 2021, Ilhan Omar led a group introducing articles of impeachment against Donald Trump related to his alleged interference in the 2020 election and incitement of the Capitol attack.

November 5, 2021: Vote Against Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

On November 5, 2021, Ilhan Omar was among six House Democrats who voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Her opposition stemmed from the bill being decoupled from the social safety net provisions included in the Build Back Better Act.

November 2021: Controversy with Lauren Boebert

In November 2021, Republican Representative Lauren Boebert claimed she shared an elevator with Ilhan Omar and mistook her for a terrorist, referring to her as the "Jihad Squad". Omar denied the incident and called Boebert's comments "anti-Muslim bigotry".

July 19, 2022: Arrested at Reproductive Rights Protest

On July 19, 2022, Ilhan Omar and 17 other members of Congress were arrested for an act of civil disobedience. They refused to clear a street during a protest outside the Supreme Court Building advocating for reproductive rights following the Supreme Court's decision to overrule Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

February 2, 2023: Removal from House Foreign Affairs Committee

On February 2, 2023, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a resolution to remove Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, citing what Speaker Kevin McCarthy called "repeated antisemitic and anti-American remarks." This decision faced opposition from many prominent House Democrats who stood by Omar.

February 2023: Removal from Foreign Affairs Committee

In February 2023, the Republican-controlled House voted to remove Ilhan Omar from her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, citing past comments about Israel and concerns over her objectivity.

July 6, 2023: Opposition to cluster munitions for Ukraine

On July 6, 2023, Ilhan Omar opposed President Biden's decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine for their counter-offensive against Russian forces. She stated, "We can support the people of Ukraine in their freedom struggle while also opposing violations of international law."

July 18, 2023: Vote Against Resolution on Israel

On July 18, 2023, Ilhan Omar voted against a congressional non-binding resolution proposed by August Pfluger, which stated that "the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state." The resolution also affirmed that Congress rejects "all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia" and that "the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel".

October 16, 2023: Calls for Ceasefire in Gaza War

On October 16, 2023, Ilhan Omar signed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. She also criticized the United States' support for Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

May 2024: Support for ICC Investigation in Palestine

In May 2024, Ilhan Omar voiced her support for the International Criminal Court investigation in Palestine, stating that the ICC "must be allowed to conduct its work independently and without interference."

August 2024: Criticism of Biden Administration's Arms Shipments to Israel

In August 2024, Ilhan Omar criticized the Biden administration's arms shipments to Israel. She stated that "if you really want a ceasefire, you just stop sending the weapons."