WASHINGTON, US – A Republican congresswoman on Monday introduced a resolution aimed at stripping Democrat Ilhan Omar of her committee assignments, accusing her of making “disgraceful” remarks in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The move escalates an already bitter political feud over free speech, accountability, and the boundaries of political discourse in Washington.
Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina is seeking to censure Omar and remove her from the House Committees on Education and the Workforce and on the Budget, alleging that the Minnesota lawmaker effectively defended violence.
“Ilhan Omar has shown us exactly who she is: someone who defends political violence and refuses to condemn the loss of innocent lives when it doesn’t suit her agenda,” Mace declared in a statement. “If you mock a political assassination and celebrate murder, you don’t get to keep your committee seat—you face consequences.”
This latest clash adds to the long list of partisan attacks directed at Omar, one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and a prominent member of the progressive “Squad.”
Free speech or condoning violence?
The controversy centers on an interview Omar gave last week to the media outlet Zeteo following Kirk’s killing. While she described the news of his death as “mortifying” and offered sympathy to his family, she also criticized what she called an attempt to “sanitize” his political legacy.
“There are many people who are out there talking about him [Kirk] just wanting to have a civil debate,” Omar told interviewer Mehdi Hasan, arguing that such narratives overlooked Kirk’s more controversial stances.
“Charlie was someone who once said guns save lives after a school shooting,” she said. “Charlie was willing to debate and downplay the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.”
Omar’s office quickly pushed back against Mace’s resolution, accusing Republicans of weaponizing free speech for political gain.
“Congresswoman Omar was one of the first to condemn Charlie Kirk’s murder. She explicitly expressed her sympathies and prayers to his wife and children,” a spokesperson for Omar said in a statement Tuesday. “She condemned his assassination and has consistently spoken out against political violence, regardless of ideology.”
A history of controversy
This is not the first time Omar has faced official sanction in Congress. In February 2023, the Republican-controlled House voted to remove her from the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee, citing earlier remarks critical of pro-Israel lobbying groups—comments that some lawmakers across party lines condemned as antisemitic.
Omar, a former Somali refugee, has long been a lightning rod in US politics for her outspoken critiques of American foreign policy and her advocacy for Palestinian rights.
On Monday, President Donald Trump reignited his own attacks on Omar when asked about Mace’s resolution. “She’s a disgraceful person,” Trump said, adding that it was “hard to believe” voters continued to elect her.
The unfolding political drama comes as law enforcement continues to probe the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA.
Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 while addressing students at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the killing.
On Monday, the FBI announced that DNA evidence collected at the scene matched the suspect in custody. Officials stressed that the investigation remains ongoing, with federal and local prosecutors coordinating on potential charges.