CNN host Wolf Blitzer repeatedly questioned Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar on Wednesday about whether she defied her party’s leadership by shouting at President Donald Trump during Tuesday’s State of the Union address.
Omar and Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib shouted at Trump after he criticized Democrats for refusing to stand in support of prioritizing U.S. citizens over illegal immigrants. Omar later told CNN’s The Situation Room that her outburst was “unavoidable,” claiming she needed to remind Trump that two of her constituents had died during encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“No, I think it was really unavoidable. The president talked about protecting Americans and I just had to remind him that his administration was responsible for killing two of my constituents,” Omar said.
Blitzer pressed her on whether she regretted the interruption, noting that Democrats previously criticized Republicans for disrupting President Joe Biden’s State of the Union addresses.
“Many members of your Democratic Party criticized their Republican counterparts when they interrupted President Biden’s State of the Union Address,” Blitzer said. “Do you have any regrets at all about the interaction we played between you and President Trump just last night?”
Omar said she did not regret her actions and argued that Trump failed to acknowledge the deaths of her constituents.
Her shouting appeared to defy House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had reportedly urged Democrats to either sit in “silent defiance” or boycott the speech. At the beginning of the address, Democratic Texas Rep. Al Green walked on the House floor holding a sign that read, “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES.”
Democrats previously condemned Republican Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and former Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for heckling Biden’s 2022 State of the Union. Boebert accused Biden of being responsible for the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in Afghanistan, while Greene shouted, “Build that wall!”
Democrats were also outraged in 2009 when Republican South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yelled “You lie!” during President Barack Obama’s address. Greene again drew criticism in 2024 for wearing MAGA attire at Biden’s final State of the Union.
Unrest followed in Minneapolis after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January. An ICE agent shot Good on Jan. 7 after she struck him with her vehicle, causing internal bleeding. Footage released later showed Pretti spitting at immigration officers and damaging their vehicle before he was shot by Border Patrol agents at a separate protest.
During Tuesday’s address, Trump asked members of Congress to stand if they agreed that “the duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Democrats remained seated. Trump rebuked them, prompting Omar to shout that Trump himself was a criminal.
