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 prominent American politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives (2017-2019), representing a portion of Minneapolis. Her congressional district encompasses all of Minneapolis and some of its adjacent suburbs. Omar is known for her progressive political views and advocacy on various social and economic issues, making her a notable figure in contemporary American politics.

Sections (5)

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

1982: Elliott Abrams' doubts about deaths in El Mozote massacre

In 1982, Elliott Abrams, later questioned by Ilhan Omar in 2019 regarding his appointment as Special Representative for Venezuela, initially doubted the number of reported deaths in the El Mozote massacre in El Salvador.

1991: Elliott Abrams convicted for withholding information from Congress

In 1991, Elliott Abrams, later questioned by Ilhan Omar in 2019 regarding his appointment as Special Representative for Venezuela, faced two misdemeanor convictions for withholding information from Congress about the Iran–Contra affair, for which he was later pardoned by George H. W. Bush.

2012: Tweet about Israel

In 2012, Ilhan Omar tweeted that "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." The comment was criticized as drawing on antisemitic tropes.

2014: Joint tax filing issue

In 2014, Ilhan Omar jointly filed taxes with a man she was not legally married to, according to the Campaign Finance Board's investigation.

2015: Joint tax filing issue continued

In 2015, Ilhan Omar continued to jointly file taxes with a man she was not legally married to, according to the Campaign Finance Board's investigation.

2016: Tax filing correction

In 2016, Ilhan Omar's attorney and accountants filed a correction to the joint tax filings.

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

In October 2018, Ilhan Omar criticized Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses and the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. She specifically condemned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, stating it should be the last evil act committed by the Saudi government. She also called for a boycott of the Saudi regime in October 2018.

2018: Prime target of online hate speech during midterm elections

According to a 2018 study by the Social Science Research Council of more than 113,000 tweets about Muslim candidates in the weeks leading up to the 2018 midterm elections, Ilhan Omar "was the prime target. Roughly half of the 90,000 tweets mentioning her included hate speech or Islamophobic or anti-immigrant language."

2018: Criticism for Statements about Israel

In 2018, Ilhan Omar faced criticism for statements she made about Israel before joining the Minnesota legislature, specifically a 2012 tweet where she stated "Israel has hypnotized the world." This statement was considered by some as employing antisemitic tropes, leading to widespread criticism in 2018.

2018: Accusations of campaign finance violations

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

January 2019: Denounced Trump administration's recognition of Juan Guaidó as Venezuelan interim president

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, the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, as Venezuela's interim president. She described Trump's action as a "U.S. backed coup" and said that the U.S. should not "hand pick" foreign leaders and should support "Mexico, Uruguay & the Vatican's efforts to facilitate a peaceful dialogue."

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

In February 2019, Ilhan Omar questioned whether Elliott Abrams, whom Trump appointed as Special Representative for Venezuela in January 2019, 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 reported deaths in the El Mozote massacre in 1982, and his two 1991 misdemeanor convictions for withholding information from Congress about the Iran–Contra affair, for which he was later pardoned by George H. W. Bush.

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

In February 2019, after Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy threatened action against Omar for supporting the BDS movement, Omar responded to a comment by journalist Glenn Greenwald with "It's All About the Benjamins," alluding to U.S. $100 bills. This led to accusations of using an antisemitic trope regarding Jews and money in February 2019.

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February 2019: FBI arrested man plotting to assassinate Omar

In February 2019, the FBI arrested United States Coast Guard Lieutenant Christopher Paul Hasson, who was allegedly plotting to assassinate various journalists and political figures in the United States, including Ilhan Omar. According to prosecutors, Hasson is a self-described "long time White Nationalist" and former skinhead who wanted to use violence to "establish a white homeland." Prosecutors also alleged that Hasson was in contact with an American neo-Nazi leader, stockpiled weapons, and compiled a hit list.

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

On February 27, 2019, Ilhan Omar stated that it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country, which was quickly criticized as allegedly drawing on antisemitic tropes. This prompted responses from House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel and House Appropriations Committee chairwoman Nita Lowey, leading to an online exchange on February 27, 2019.

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. This resolution was passed after controversy surrounding her comments, aiming to address various forms of prejudice on March 7, 2019.

March 2019: Criticism of Barack Obama's Border Policies

In a March 2019 interview with Politico, Ilhan Omar criticized Barack Obama's "caging of kids" along the Mexican border. She later accused Politico of distorting her comments. She clarified that she was contrasting Trump's policies with Obama's in March 2019.

April 7, 2019: Patrick Carlineo Jr. arrested for threatening Omar

On April 7, 2019, Patrick Carlineo Jr., was arrested for threatening to assault and murder Ilhan Omar in a phone call to her office. He reportedly told investigators that he did not want Muslims in the government.

April 11, 2019: New York Post ran controversial cover about Omar and 9/11

On April 11, 2019, the front page of the New York Post featured an image of the World Trade Center burning following the September 11 terrorist attacks and a quotation from a speech Ilhan Omar gave the previous month. The headline read, "REP. ILHAN OMAR: 9/11 WAS 'SOME PEOPLE DID SOMETHING'", and a caption underneath added, "Here's your something ... 2,977 people dead by terrorism."

April 2019: Received more death threats after Trump's comments about her and 9/11

In April 2019, Ilhan Omar said that she had received more death threats after then-President Trump made comments about her and 9/11, "many directly referencing or replying to the president's video".

May 2019: Said U.S. foreign policy contributes to devastation in Venezuela

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

May 2019: Patrick Carlineo Jr. released on house arrest

In May 2019, Patrick Carlineo Jr., who was arrested for threatening Ilhan Omar, was released from custody and placed on house arrest.

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. She opposed the $4.5 billion border funding bill because she believed it would fund organizations committing human rights abuses. She stated the crisis was inflicted by U.S. leadership in June 2019.

June 2019: Campaign finance officials 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 tweeted that "The Squad" should "go back" to the "places from which they came"

On July 14, 2019, then-President Trump tweeted that The Squad—a group consisting of Ilhan Omar and three other young congresswomen of color—should "go back" to the "places from which they came". In response, Omar said Trump was "stoking white nationalism" because he was "angry that people like us are serving in Congress and fighting against your hate-filled agenda."

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 Israeli law preventing entry to those who call for a boycott of Israel. The decision was influenced by their support for BDS and plans to visit Palestine instead of Israel in August 2019.

August 2019: Published anonymous threat received about being shot at Minnesota State Fair

In August 2019, Ilhan Omar published an anonymous threat she had received of being shot at the Minnesota State Fair, saying that such threats were why she now had security protection.

September 2019: Asserted Trump was endangering her life by retweeting false claim

In September 2019, Ilhan Omar asserted that then-President Trump was putting her life in danger by retweeting a tweet falsely claiming she had "partied on the anniversary of 9/11".

October 2019: Controversy over Armenian Genocide Vote

In October 2019, Ilhan Omar voted "present" on H.Res. 296, a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide, which led to backlash. She argued that the recognition of genocide should not be used as a political tool. Later, in November 2019, she publicly condemned the Armenian genocide at a Bernie Sanders rally.

November 2019: Danielle Stella banned from Twitter for suggesting Omar be hanged for treason

In November 2019, Danielle Stella, Ilhan Omar's Republican opponent for Congress, was banned from Twitter for suggesting that Omar be hanged for treason if found guilty of passing information to Iran.

December 2019: George Buck suggested Omar be hanged for treason

In December 2019, George Buck, another Republican running for Congress, also suggested that Ilhan Omar be hanged for treason. As a result, Buck was removed from the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns program.

March 2020: Omar marries Tim Mynett

In March 2020, Ilhan Omar married Tim Mynett, a political consultant whose firm received significant contracts from her campaign.

June 2020: Supported the police abolition movement in Minneapolis

In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Ilhan Omar supported the police abolition movement in Minneapolis, which sought to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, stating that the department had "proven themselves beyond reform." Omar hoped to see a new police department that would be modeled after the Camden County Police Department in New Jersey.

November 17, 2020: Omar 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 avoid any perceived issues with campaign support.

2020: Reaction to Omar's Remarks Among Democratic Presidential Candidates

In 2020, Democratic presidential candidates had mixed reactions to Omar's controversial remarks. Some senators like Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Bernie Sanders defended her, while others like Cory Booker found her comments disturbing. The controversy also highlighted concerns about anti-Islamic sentiment. These reactions occurred throughout 2020.

2020: Election Interference

In 2020, the charges of impeachment against Trump are related to Trump's alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

January 7, 2021: Introduced articles of impeachment

On January 7, 2021, Ilhan Omar led a group of House members in introducing articles of impeachment against Trump related to the 2020 election interference and the U.S. Capitol attack.

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

On November 5, 2021, Ilhan Omar was among six House Democrats who broke with their party to vote against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This decision was due to the act being decoupled from social safety net provisions in the Build Back Better Act. She expressed concerns about the separation of the two bills on November 5, 2021.

November 2021: Lauren Boebert made anti-Muslim comments about Omar

In November 2021, Republican Representative Lauren Boebert said she had shared an elevator with Ilhan Omar, and that she and a Capitol Police officer both mistook Omar for a terrorist. Boebert referred to Omar as the "Jihad Squad". Omar said that she had not shared an elevator with Boebert, that the story was made up, and that Boebert's comments were "anti-Muslim bigotry".

July 19, 2022: Arrest for Civil Disobedience

On July 19, 2022, Ilhan Omar, along with 17 other members of Congress, were arrested for engaging in civil disobedience. They were protesting for reproductive rights outside the Supreme Court Building following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The arrest occurred after they refused to clear a street during the demonstration on July 19, 2022.

February 2, 2023: Removal from House Foreign Affairs Committee

On February 2, 2023, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a resolution to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This decision was based on what Speaker Kevin McCarthy called "repeated antisemitic and anti-American remarks", leading to a party-line vote on February 2, 2023.

February 2023: Removed 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 she had made about Israel and concerns over her objectivity.

October 16, 2023: Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza

On October 16, 2023, Omar signed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. She also criticized the United States' support for Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, advocating for de-escalation and peace on October 16, 2023.