Reports the group Occupy Democrats:
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar isn’t apologizing – and she isn’t backing down.
After interrupting Donald Trump’s State of the Union to confront him over the deaths of two of her Minneapolis constituents, Omar went on CNN and made it crystal clear: silence was never an option.
When asked by Wolf Blitzer whether she should have followed Democratic leadership’s advice to sit quietly or skip the speech altogether, Omar didn’t hesitate.
“No,” she said. “It was really unavoidable.”
Why? Because as Trump spoke about “protecting Americans,” Omar says he ignored the fact that two Americans – Renée Good and Alex Pretti – were killed under his administration’s watch.
“I just had to remind him,” she said bluntly. “His administration was responsible for killing two of my constituents.”
That’s not heckling. That’s accountability.
Omar brought four Minnesotans with her as guests to the address – people she says have lived through what she described as a federal “occupation,” traumatized by aggressive law enforcement actions in their communities. She said it was critical to “bear witness” and “hold the space” for neighbors who have suffered.
When Blitzer pointed out that Democrats previously criticized Republicans for interrupting President Biden’s State of the Union, Omar stood firm.
“I do not [have regrets],” she said. “It was important for my constituents to see me there.”
This wasn’t political theater, she argued. It was personal. Two families in her district lost loved ones. And as the president spoke about safety, she says their names deserved to be heard.
Omar framed her protest as a moral obligation – not a breach of decorum. In her view, failing to speak up would have meant abandoning the people who sent her to Washington.
Whether critics call it disruption or courage, Omar made one thing unmistakable: when she believes lives are on the line, party strategy takes a back seat.
And for her constituents in Minneapolis, she says, being present – and being vocal – mattered more than staying silent.
Related Off-site Links:
In State of the Union, Trump Slams Somalis Over Fraud; Rep. Ilhan Omar Shouts Back – Sydney Kashiwagi (The Minnesota Star Tribune, February 25, 2026).
Ilhan Omar: “You Know Damn Well I Was Going to Respond to” Trump’s State of the Union “Lie” About Somalis – Eric Garcia (Independent, February 25, 2026).
“You Have Killed Americans,” “Black People Aren’t Apes”: Democrats Ilhan Omar and Al Green Protest Trump’s State of the Union – Democracy Now! (February 25, 2026).
Al Green and Ilhan Omar Interrupt Trump’s State of the Union Speech As Democrats Rally Outside Capitol – Rising (February 25, 2026).
Minnesotan Aliya Rahman Arrested and Injured at Trump’s State of the Union – Steve Karnowski and Jim Salter (MPR News, February 25, 2023).
Ilhan Omar Asked: “Do You Think You Violated The Guidelines” Jeffries Set Out For Trump’s SOTU? – Forbes Breaking News (February 25, 2026).
From Minneapolis to Somalia: Here’s Everything Trump Gets Wrong About Somalis – Jordan Liz (Common Dreams, February 22, 2026).
Ilhan Omar Condemns Trump Oil Blockade of Cuba as “Cruel and Despotic” Regime Change Ploy – Jordan Liz (Common Dreams, February 12, 2026).
UPDATE: Trump Says Lawmakers Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib Should Be Removed From U.S. – Erin Hale (Al Jazeera, February 26, 2026).
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Rep. Ilhan Omar: “These Findings Are Shocking, But Sadly, Not Surprising”
• Dean Phillips: Quote of the Day – February 3, 2023
• Ilhan Omar: “The Coup Attempt on January 6th Was a Warning for What’s to Come If We Don’t Act”
• Ilhan Omar: Quote of the Day – October 28, 2021
• Hadas Thier: Quote of the Day – June 11, 2021
• Ilhan Omar: Quote of the Day – May 29, 2021
• Ilhan Omar: Quote of the Day – January 13, 2021
• Progressive Perspectives on the 2020 U.S. Election Results
• Rep. Ilhan Omar Responds to President Trump’s Authoritarian Threats
• Quote of the Day: Ilhan Omar – August 11, 2020
• Ricardo Levins Morales on the “Deepest Political Fault Line” Separating Democrats Ilhan Omar and Antone Melton-Meaux
• To Whom the Future of America Belongs
• Ilhan Omar: Stepping Into Her Power
• Ilhan Omar: Quote of the Day – April 13, 2019
• Progressive Perspectives on the Ilhan Omar “Controversy”
• Ilhan Omar on The Daily Show
• Juan Cole: Quote of the Day – February 11, 2019
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