Ilhan Omar, 'Fox & Friends' in war of words over her 'some people did something' 9/11 comment: 'Is she American first?'
Newly-elected Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and 'Fox & Friends' engaged in a wordy duel as the show's co-host Brian Kilmeade — while featuring a segment on Omar's comments on 9/11 on Wednesday — questioned if she was an "American first." Kilmeade later issued an apology saying: "I didn't intend to question whether Rep. Omar is an American - I am questioning how any American, let alone a United States Congresswoman, could downplay the 9/11 attacks."
Kilmeade along with other hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Steve Doocy, along with other conservatives on social media, criticized the Minnesota Democratic Representative for the comments she made about 9/11 terrorist attacks last month in California during a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) event.
The co-hosts of the Fox News show took particular issue of Omar's phrasing when she referred to the terrorists as "some people did something" in reference to September 11.
The congresswoman seemed to have been making a larger point of how Muslims in the United States began losing civil liberties after the attacks.
After a short clip of her statement was played, an incredulous Kilmeade said: "'Some people did something?'"
"Like an unprovoked attack killing people, thousands in the Pentagon and Flight 93, as well as in the World Trade Center? Uh, Really? Some few people did something? You have to wonder if she's American first."
After Kilmeade's remarks, the show then cut to a tweet from Texas Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw, who wrote, "First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as 'some people who did something.' Unbelievable."
Shortly after Kilmeade's comments, the congresswoman responded to the widespread backlash over her comments and allegations that she was "trivializing" the 9/11 terrorist attacks and said that "this is dangerous incitement" and that her love for her country should not be questioned.
"This is dangerous incitement, given the death threats I face. I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it. My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans!" she tweeted Wednesday.
The New York Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is also frequently targeted by Fox News, last week blamed the television network's host Jeanine Pirro for the death threats Omar had received. Reports state that a man from upstate New York called her office last week and labeled her a "terrorist."
The incident occurred after Fox News pulled Pirro's show after she made controversial comments about Omar, implying that the Congresswoman's hijab could be linked to sharia law.