President Donald Trump told reporters Monday afternoon he had nothing to do with the raid on the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.
“I understand that they’re looking at her very carefully. I’ve always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said, calling Omar’s native Somalia a “non-country.”
“I think she’s a terrible person, but that’s really up to the DOJ, I have nothing to do with it,” he said.
The Justice Department said the early-morning raid on her D.C. home was executed by Homeland Security Investigations based on a warrant signed by a judge. The search relates to an ongoing criminal investigation, the agency said, without providing further details.
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Within 60 days of an election, the Justice Department generally avoids taking action against political figures, although it is not forbidden from doing so.
Omar, a Democrat who is up for reelection in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, called the raid an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize law enforcement.”
House Democrats accused the Trump administration of abusing its power, calling the search “deeply disturbing.”
Trump has long criticized Omar, spreading the claim popular in right-wing circles that she married her brother as part of an immigration scheme. No federal agency has produced evidence that supports that accusation, and Omar has denied it, calling the claims “disgusting lies.”
In January, the president said the Justice Department and Congress were investigating Omar’s finances, claiming she was worth more than $44 million.
Financial disclosures from earlier this year show the congresswoman reported less than $15,000 in a savings account, less than $15,000 in each of four retirement accounts, and between $15,001 and $50,000 in the Minnesota State Retirement System.
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