Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is facing sharp criticism after mocking tributes to conservative leader Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a public event in Utah this week.
Her remarks, delivered during an interview with former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan, have deepened partisan tensions as conservatives mourn Kirk’s death.
Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, was a central figure in conservative politics and a frequent presence on cable news.
His supporters hailed him as a “martyr” who championed free speech, gun rights and unapologetic opposition to progressive racial politics.
His detractors, however, argued that his rhetoric fueled division and anger.
Speaking with Hasan just days after the shooting, Omar dismissed attempts to frame Kirk as a promoter of civil debate.
“There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” she said, prompting Hasan to interject that such portrayals were “a complete rewriting of history.”
The Minnesota Democrat then drew a sharp line between Kirk’s admirers and prominent Republicans.
“You have people like Nancy Mace, who constantly harass people that she finds inferior and wants them not to exist in this country or ever,” Omar said. “You know, you have people like Trump, who has incited violence against people like me.”
“These people are full of s**t, and it’s important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness and have, you know, empathy.”
While her tone was combative, Omar briefly offered sympathy for Kirk’s family.
“My heart does break for those babies,” she said, referring to his children.
“I have empathy for his kids and his wife and what they’re going through because I do not want that. No one should go through that.”
Hasan agreed, noting their Islamic faith requires compassion for others.
Omar also pointed to Kirk’s history of controversial remarks, laughing as she accused him of minimizing slavery, disparaging Juneteenth and belittling George Floyd.
“There is nothing more f’ed up than to completely pretend that his words and actions haven’t been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so,” she said.
Examples of Kirk’s statements include a 2021 claim that George Floyd was a “scumbag” whose death was caused by drugs, despite the autopsy ruling it a homicide, the Daily Mail reports.
He also dismissed Juneteenth as a “race-based holiday,” writing in one social media post that it undermined the Fourth of July.
Kirk frequently repeated the slogan “guns save lives,” a phrase Omar cited as evidence of his unwillingness to acknowledge the consequences of mass shootings.
Other members of the progressive “Squad” also commented on Kirk’s death, The Blaze highlights.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) rebuked President Donald Trump for blaming the left before a suspect was identified.
“This is awful, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America,” she told CNN’s Manu Raju.
For conservatives, Omar’s response reinforced concerns about hostility from progressive lawmakers.
While she expressed brief condolences, critics argue her ridicule of Kirk’s supporters exposed the stark ideological divide shaping political debate in Washington and across the country.
The investigation into Kirk’s assassination remains active.
Authorities confirmed on Friday that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, identified as the suspect, has been taken into custody.
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