Rep. Ilhan Omar responded Wednesday to Fox News questioning her status as an American by saying, “I am as American as everyone else is.”
“When you have people on Fox News question whether I am actually American or I put ’America first,’ I expect my colleagues to also say, ’That’s not OK.’ They should condemn that and call that out,” the Minnesota Democrat said in an interview on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
“I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I am as American as everyone else is.”
Earlier Wednesday, “Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade questioned Ms. Omar’s American loyalties following her referencing 9/11 as “some people did something,” asking, “You have to wonder if she’s an American first.”
He later tweeted a clarification, saying he “didn’t intend” to question her citizenship.
Ms. Omar added her congressional journey has been a “process” of growth, and she is always willing to listen when she says something offensive.
“When you tell me you are pained by something that I say, I will always listen, and I will acknowledge your pain,” she stressed, adding she expects the same.
Ms. Omar has faced accusations of being anti-Semitic when she criticized pro-Israel lobbyist groups and questioned the loyalty of Jewish lawmakers who pushed back against her criticisms of the Israeli government.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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