Omar shouts 'you are a murderer' and 'liar' at Trump during State of the Union address
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., shouted at President Donald Trump during the State of the Union, calling him a "liar" and a "murderer" after the commander in chief spoke about Somali-linked fraud in Minnesota.
Omar was seated next to Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who wore a profane pin on her shirt condemning ICE, and the two scowled at the president throughout his remarks.
"As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security. It's all cut off; all cut off," Trump began.
"They have instituted another Democrat shutdown, the first one costing us two points on GDP, two points we lost on GDP, which probably made them quite happy actually. Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers."
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., left; Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, right. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Around that point, a ruckus could be heard and the camera soon panned to an irate Omar.
"Tonight, I'm demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for border security, Homeland Security of the United States, and also for helping people clean up their snow."
"We have no money because of the Democrats, and it would be nice. We'd love to give you a hand at cleaning it up, but you gave no money. Nobody's getting paid. It's a shame."
Trump then invited all listening — lawmakers and constituents — to stand or join him in agreement on a common axiom:
"The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens."
Several minutes later, Trump again raised Omar’s ire after referencing his mass deportation agenda.
"Isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself. That is why I'm also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who blocked the removal of criminal aliens," Trump said.
"In many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country; they’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country. And you should be ashamed of yourself."
Omar repeatedly shouted, "You have killed Americans" when Trump was talking about the Department of Homeland Security, and could be heard saying, "you are a murderer."
At one point during their outbursts, Tlaib shouted that "Alex wasn’t a criminal," in apparent reference to Alex Pretti — an armed man shot and killed by federal agents amid the chaos in Minneapolis.
"You’re a liar," Omar shouted at one point, while sources in the gallery were unsure whether she also called the president a "sycophant," or a more profane moniker.
Later in the evening, Omar and Tlaib prematurely left the chamber while Trump was recounting the raid on Caracas that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Thune Breaks With Trump, Backs Cornyn After Paxton Endorsement
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday he will continue supporting Sen. John Cornyn despite President Donald Trump endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the most closely watched Republican Senate primaries of the 2026 cycle.
Speaking to reporters following Trump’s endorsement announcement, Thune praised Cornyn as “a principled conservative” and an “effective senator” for Texas, signaling a rare split between Senate Republican leadership and the president.
“Cornyn is a principled conservative. He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas,” Thune said.
“None of us can control what the president does. That doesn’t change the way I feel. I will continue to be supportive of Senator Cornyn in his re-election,” Thune added.
The comments came just hours after Trump formally endorsed Paxton on Truth Social, delivering a major boost to the Texas attorney general as he seeks to unseat Cornyn in the Republican runoff election.
In his endorsement, Trump criticized Cornyn for insufficient loyalty during politically difficult periods of his presidency.
“Ken Paxton has been a warrior for Texas values and for our America First agenda,” Trump wrote. He added that Cornyn “was not supportive of me when times were tough.”
The endorsement immediately intensified an already bitter and nationally significant Republican primary battle that has exposed growing tensions inside the GOP between establishment Senate Republicans and Trump-aligned populists.
Early voting in the runoff began Monday and continues through Friday, with Election Day set for May 26.
Despite the internal divisions, Thune expressed confidence Republicans would retain control of the Senate in November.
“I’m very confident we’ll hang on — and maybe even expand the majority of the United States Senate,” Thune said.
Republicans currently hold a six-seat Senate majority. Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to retake control of the chamber.
Several races, including contests in Maine, Michigan, and North Carolina, are currently viewed as highly competitive.
The Texas race has become particularly important because Democrats believe a bruising Republican runoff could weaken the eventual GOP nominee heading into the general election against Democratic candidate James Talarico.
Recent polling has suggested an unusually competitive general election environment in Texas. One survey released Monday reportedly showed both Cornyn and Paxton running roughly even with Talarico in hypothetical head-to-head matchups.
That possibility has alarmed some Republicans, particularly moderates concerned that Paxton’s legal controversies and polarizing political image could jeopardize a seat long considered safely Republican.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski openly criticized Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, warning it could backfire politically.
“I was supremely disappointed,” Murkowski said. “How does that help strengthen the president’s hand when we lose a state like Texas?”
Paxton has remained a dominant figure among Texas conservatives despite years of legal and political controversies, including securities fraud charges that were later resolved and an impeachment battle in the Texas legislature from which he was ultimately acquitted by the state Senate.
Trump allies have framed the race as a test of loyalty to the president and the broader America First movement, while Cornyn supporters argue the longtime senator offers stability, fundraising strength, and legislative experience critical for maintaining Republican control of the Senate.
Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002 and previously chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has longstanding ties to GOP leadership and donor networks in Washington. But critics on the right have increasingly portrayed him as part of the party establishment out of step with the Republican base.
Paxton has sought to capitalize on that frustration, presenting himself as a fighter aligned more closely with Trump’s populist agenda on immigration, election integrity, and federal power.
The runoff has also become a broader proxy battle over the future direction of Senate Republicans after Trump’s sweeping victories reshaped the party.
