Chaos erupted in Minneapolis as Representative Ilhan Omar was targeted in a brazen assault during a packed town hall. While security scrambled to apprehend the suspect, President Trump’s reaction has sent shockwaves through Washington, calling the incident a “fraud.” WATCH the terrifying moments the liquid was sprayed and the explosive political fallout that has leaders on both sides reaching a breaking point.
President Trump continues to denounce the Minnesota representative following the incident, while Stephen Miller acknowledges a potential breach of protocol in the Alex Pretti shooting.
LIVE UPDATES
- Trump persists in denouncing Ilhan Omar after the Minneapolis town hall assault.
- The President labels the Minnesota representative a ‘fraud’ who ‘likely orchestrated the spray’; Omar declares ‘I don’t permit bullies to triumph’ in comments following the strike.
- Security apprehended a suspect after he rushed Representative Omar and doused her with an unidentified fluid during the public event on January 27.
- Stephen Miller admits a potential violation of procedure prior to the lethal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Donald Trump persists in railing against Ilhan Omar following the Minneapolis town hall assault. The President has labeled the Minnesota representative a ‘fraud’ who ‘likely had herself sprayed,’ while Omar countered by stating ‘I don’t permit bullies to triumph’ in her first remarks after the town hall strike.
During the event on January 27, 2026, a suspect was apprehended by security after charging Representative Omar (D-MN) and dousing her with an unidentified liquid. When questioned in an interview with ABC regarding the video of the spray assault, Trump stated, “No, I don’t consider her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t contemplate that. She likely had herself sprayed, knowing her”. Asked again if he had viewed the footage, Trump replied: “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother”.
Reactions from the Capitol
Both Democratic and GOP legislators have emerged in defense of Ilhan Omar following the incident. Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, of California, has united with other lawmakers in urging the Trump administration to denounce the strike and to “moderate the language targeting her”. On social media, Khanna noted: “This is no longer about political debate. There are members of Congress who fear for their lives”.
Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland, stated he was “relieved” Omar was secure but called Trump’s response “shameful,” asserting that his “baseless and racist attacks against her have no doubt endangered her”.
Operation Metro Surge and Local Turmoil
Meanwhile, nonprofit food-assistance groups in Minnesota are demanding an instant termination of Operation Metro Surge. Nearly 100 organizations signed a letter asserting that the “turmoil and aggression” ICE has introduced to the region has left residents afraid to depart their residences and obstructed initiatives to deliver sustenance to those who are “isolated and famished”.
The missive claims that with many locals remaining indoors for dread of being racially targeted or illegally held, volunteers have had to struggle to discover novel methods to transport urgent food to where it is most critical. They noted instances of ICE agents following volunteers and staging near food shelves.
Federal Oversight and Protocol
White House deputy chief of staff and designer of Trump’s vigorous anti-immigration campaign Stephen Miller has stated that authorities are assessing why Customs and Border Protection personnel in Minneapolis “might not have adhered to” correct procedure before the lethal shooting of Alex Pretti.
While Miller initially characterized the killed ICU nurse as a “would-be assassin,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to rapidly distance the President from that messaging, calling Pretti’s death a “tragedy”. Reports confirm that two federal agents discharged their weapons during the Alex Pretti incident.
In other developments, Ecuador reports an ICE operative tried to penetrate its consulate in Minneapolis, and President Trump claims a ‘vast naval fleet’ is currently moving toward Iran.
