stoking fear
Trump's response to comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar came in the form of graphic 9/11 footage on Twitter
President Trump is the latest to push back against comments made by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during a speech she gave in March.
While speaking at at an event hosted by the Council on American-Islamic relations, Omar said that the council was created because Muslims in the United States began to lose their civil liberties following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The criticism directed at Omar, however, stems from how she alluded to the attacks. The congresswoman said the council was founded "because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties." Several politicians, commentators, and media outlets — including The New York Post — argued that Omar, who has faced accusations of anti-Semitism in recent weeks — was downplaying the tragedy of the attacks.
Trump on Friday apparently decided he would enter the fray, as well, when he tweeted "We will never forget!" above a graphic video depicting footage of the attacks. Trump also "pinned" this tweet so that it remains the first item on his feed for the time being.
Several prominent Democrats, including multiple presidential candidates, called out the president's tweet, arguing that he was stoking fear, inciting violence, and promoting Islamophobia. Tim O'Donnell