Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has issued a stark warning that former President Donald Trump's repeated personal attacks and dehumanising language are creating a perilous climate of political violence in the United States.
A Direct Link to Threats and Fear
In an interview from her Washington DC office on 12 December 2025, the Minnesota Democrat stated that Trump's incendiary rhetoric reaches "the worst humans possible" and incites them to action. She revealed that individuals have been incarcerated and are currently being prosecuted for threatening her life.
"It is something that does stay in the back of our minds," Omar told The Guardian. "But I also worry about those people finding someone who looks like me in Minneapolis or across the country and thinking it is me and harming them."
Escalating Attacks and a 'Vile' Obsession
The warning follows a recent rally in Pennsylvania where Trump pushed a baseless conspiracy theory about Omar's citizenship. Supporters chanted "Send her back!" after the former president suggested the Somali-born lawmaker, who arrived in the US as a refugee aged 12, married her brother to gain citizenship.
Omar, who became a citizen at 17, described Trump's fixation as "vile" and an "unhealthy and creepy obsession." She accused him of reverting to bigotry to deflect from policy failures, stating, "When things aren’t going well for him … cue the bigotry. It’s the same playbook."
Her husband, Tim Mynett, noted in a joint interview that threats are not new. During Trump's first term, a six-person security detail was required after a plot against her was identified. "This isn’t our first rodeo," Mynett said.
A Surge in Threats and Community-Wide Scapegoating
Official data underscores the rising danger. The US Capitol Police investigated 9,474 concerning statements and direct threats against members of Congress in 2024, more than double the 2017 total. Omar noted a direct correlation, saying death threats against her dropped to almost zero during President Joe Biden's term before rising again with Trump's return to the political forefront.
Trump has also broadened his attacks to target Somali Americans collectively, recently describing them as "garbage." Omar accused him of scapegoating an entire community over isolated issues, noting most Somalis in Minnesota are US citizens.
The personal impact was further highlighted when Omar revealed federal immigration agents pulled over her son as he travelled to a Target store. He was only released after producing his passport ID, which he now carries constantly.
Fragile Democracy and a Resolve to Continue
Despite the intimidation, Omar vowed not to be deterred from her congressional work on healthcare, climate, and democratic institutions. However, she issued a sobering assessment of US democracy's fragility.
"His presidency has exposed some weaknesses that exist," she said. "It has certainly taught us that, while our institutions are strong, they are fragile to a dictatorship-like ruler. We must do more to create stronger guardrails."
The congresswoman's warning comes amid a series of deadly attacks in the US, including the killing of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband earlier this year, highlighting the very real consequences of inflamed political rhetoric.
