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Representative Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, defended President Donald Trump during a meeting with foreign leaders, according to Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican. Newsweek reached out to Omar’s office for comment via email. Why It Matters Luna’s account of the exchange between Omar and an unnamed politician from Belgium represents a moment of bipartisan unity involving Omar, a staunch progressive who has in the past drawn the ire of the president. What To Know Luna discussed the interaction involving Omar during an interview on Patrick Bet-David’s PBD Podcast last week. During a trip in which several members of Congress met with members of the European Union, she said a politician from Belgium was voicing criticisms of Trump, including that Congress is “not respected” by him and that they are “basically a joke.” Luna said she was “sparring” with him when Omar weighed in. “She looks at the guy and goes, ‘You may not like what our president is doing, and you might not agree with our foreign policy. But when you’re here, you will respect our president.’ She was talking about Trump,” she said. Representative Ilhan Omar during a news conference on January 22, 2025, in Washington. Luna said she didn’t expect that to happen and “appreciated” that Omar provided a “united front” when dealing with him. “At that point in time when you have that kind of unified front, especially dealing with the EU, it was pleasantly surprising,” she said. Omar remains one of Congress’ most vocal Trump critics who has sparred with the president on numerous occasions. In September, Omar said she believes Trump is “embarrassing on a national stage” and that his previous remarks about Somalia are “disgusting” during an interview on ABC News. The House in September voted to table a motion that would have censured Omar over her remarks criticizing the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, including that his legacy was filled with “hate.” In other remarks, she has said that her “heart breaks for his wife and children” and that she does not “wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy and compassion.” What People Are Saying Representative Ilhan Omar, on X on October 7: “Donald Trump is an embarrassing, racist, and corrupt liar. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.-IO.” President Donald Trump told reporters about Omar in September, per CBS News: “How are they doing? How’s their government? Do they have a president? Do they have a council? Do they have anything? Do they have police? I love these people that come from a place with nothing. Nothing, no anything. And then they tell us how to run our country. I think if she got censured, that’s great. If she got impeached, that’s even better.” What Happens Next While Omar defended Trump, she is likely to remain a vocal critic as Democrats continue to oppose the president over issues like immigration and health care.
