US House Speaker requests safety check after Trump tweets ‘hateful’ video about Muslim politician
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she requested a security safety check for Representative Ilhan Omar's safety after Trump tweeted a ‘hateful, inflammatory’ video about her last week.
Ms Pelosi said she talked with the House Sergeant-at-Arms, the House official in charge of security, about the safety of Rep Ilhan Omar and said she wanted to make sure a security assessment was being conducted.
She added she wanted "to ensure that Capitol Police are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman Omar, her family, and her staff" following President Trump's tweet on Friday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she requested a security safety check for Representative Ilhan Omar's safety after Trump tweeted a ‘hateful, inflammatory’ video about her last week. PA
Ms Pelosi said she talked with the House Sergeant-at-Arms, the House official in charge of security, about the safety of Rep Ilhan Omar and said she wanted to make sure a security assessment was being conducted. AP
"They will continue to monitor and address the threats she faces," Ms Pelosi said.
In that tweet Mr Trump wrote "We will never forget!" and included video of a speech Omar gave last month in which she said, "For far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen, and frankly, I'm tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it”.
“CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognised that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to civil liberties," she said.
The tweet also included images from the September 11 attacks.
Rep Omar was speaking to a branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The under-a-minute video Mr Trump posted did not include Rep Omar's comments in context.
The New York Post has accused Rep Omar of trivialising 9/11. New York Post
Rep Omar was speaking to a branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The under-a-minute video Mr Trump posted did not include Rep Omar's comments in context. EPA
CNN has reached out to Rep Omar's spokesman and the White House for comment. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders earlier today said the President did not want harm to come to Omar. AP
Rep Omar has had death threats against her in the past because of some of her comments.
"The President's words weigh a ton, and his hateful and inflammatory rhetoric creates real danger,” Ms Pelosi said.
“President Trump must take down his disrespectful and dangerous video.”
CNN has reached out to Rep Omar's spokesman and the White House for comment. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders earlier today said the President did not want harm to come to Omar.
"Certainly the President is wishing no ill will and certainly not violence towards anyone, but the President is absolutely and should be calling out the congresswoman for her not only one time but history of anti-Semitic comments," Ms Sanders said on ABC's "This Week".
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