Updated January 28, 2026 at 8:09 AM PST
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was rushed by a man during a town hall event Tuesday night and sprayed with a liquid via a syringe.
Footage from the event shows a man approaching Omar at her lectern as she is delivering remarks and spraying an unknown substance in her direction, before swiftly being tackled by security. Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault.
Noem has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) assaulted during town hall meeting: "Here's the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand; we are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us." pic.twitter.com/Ud5l3yP4lQ
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 28, 2026
Omar's staff can be heard urging her to step away and get "checked out," with others nearby saying the substance smelled bad.
"We will continue," Omar responded. "These f****** a**holes are not going to get away with it."
A statement from Omar's office released after the event said the individual who approached and sprayed the congresswoman is now in custody.
"The Congresswoman is okay," the statement read. "She continued with her town hall because she doesn't let bullies win."
Omar followed up with a statement on social media saying she will not be intimidated.
I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2026
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
As Omar continued her remarks at the town hall, she said: "We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us."
President Trump, who has frequently derided Omar, accused her without evidence of staging the attack. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her," he said in a phone interview Tuesday night with ABC News. Trump told ABC News' Rachel Scott that he had not seen video of the incident. "I haven't seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother."
Just three days ago, fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he was assaulted at the Sundance Festival by a man "who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face."
Threats against congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding in the wake of growing concerns about political violence in the country.
According to the U.S. Capitol Police, the number of threat assessment cases has increased for the third year in a row. In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications" directed toward congressional lawmakers, their families and staff. That figure represents a nearly 58% increase from 2024.
Copyright 2026 NPR
