President Donald Trump has once again drawn criticism for responding to a violent incident involving a political opponent with unsubstantiated conspiracy claims. This time, his remarks followed an attack on Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota during a town hall event on Tuesday.
Omar was sprayed with a liquid by a man who rushed the stage, an incident that prompted swift intervention by security and local police. When asked by an ABC News reporter whether he had seen footage of the attack, Trump dismissed the incident and suggested without evidence that Omar may have staged it herself. “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” he said.
Trump has made similar claims in the past following acts of violence involving Democrats. After the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, the 2022 assault on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the recent killing of filmmaker and Democratic activist Rob Reiner, Trump publicly implied that those targeted were somehow responsible. In each case, no evidence supported those assertions.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials have provided a clear account of the Omar incident. The suspect, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested by Minneapolis police after allegedly spraying Omar with what authorities believe was apple cider vinegar. Prior to the attack, Kazmierczak had shared anti-Omar posts and images supporting Trump on social media and had told a neighbour he expected to be arrested at the event.
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