Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked during Minneapolis town hall meeting

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis on Jan. 27, 2026. A man approached her and sprayed an unknown substance on her. Police arrested the assailant at the scene. Omar was unharmed and told attendees 'I'm ok. I'm a survivor.' The attack occurred during a community meeting where Omar was discussing constituent concerns and federal policy.

The attack happened hours after Trump criticized Omar during a speech in 🌽Iowa. He called her a 'wise guy' and made references to her Somali heritage. Trump has a history of attacking Omar. He's claimed she's worth $44 million, up from $30 million a week prior. He's suggested the Department of Justice is investigating her wealth. On Jan. 18, 2026, Trump posted on social media that Omar should be 'jailed or sent back to Somalia.'

The White House confirmed it's investigating alleged connections between Omar and 🦆Minnesota welfare fraud. Administration officials have not provided evidence of fraud or explained what specific allegations they're investigating. Legal experts noted that members of Congress are subject to House Ethics Committee jurisdiction for financial misconduct, not routine DOJ criminal investigations unless evidence of specific federal crimes exists.

Omar's financial disclosure forms show business valuations ranging from $5 million to $25 million for Rose Lake Capital and $1 million to $5 million for ESTCRU LLC. These are partnership valuations, not her individual ownership share. Standard financial disclosure rules require members to report the total value of partnerships and LLCs they have interests in, which often far exceeds their personal stake. The disclosures don't show she personally owns $44 million in assets.

Trump's pattern of attacks on Omar dates back to his first term. In Jul. 2019, he tweeted that Omar and other Democratic congresswomen of color should 'go back' to the countries they came from. The House voted to condemn those remarks as racist. Omar was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. as a refugee. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000. She's represented 🦆Minnesota's 5th Congressional District since 2019.

The attack is part of broader Trump administration targeting of 🦆Minnesota Democratic officials. The administration has criticized Gov. Tim Walz, who was Vice President Kamala Harris's 2024 running mate. Trump has accused Minnesota officials of being too lenient on immigration enforcement and has deployed additional ICE resources to Minneapolis under Operation Metro Surge.

Security for members of Congress has become a major concern following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack and subsequent threats against lawmakers. The U.S. Capitol Police provide security in 🌲Washington but have limited resources for protecting members in their home districts. Many members have requested increased security funding. The House Sergeant at Arms coordinates with local law enforcement for district events but doesn't provide full-time protection.

Omar has faced death threats and harassment throughout her congressional career. In 2019, federal prosecutors charged a 🗽New York man with threatening to assault and murder her. In 2020, police arrested a 🦆Minnesota man who threatened her life. FBI data shows threats against members of Congress have increased significantly since 2016, with women of color facing disproportionately high threat levels.