Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said there is “no legacy to honor” following the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, remarks that have already intensified partisan clashes on Capitol Hill.
In a sit-down with former CNN broadcaster Don Lemon, Omar was asked if she felt the need to apologize for past criticism of Kirk’s political views, which her Republican opponents argue helped fuel hostility toward him. Omar was defiant.
“I have nothing to apologize for,” she said. “You know, it is a tragedy that Charlie Kirk was killed in that way. I feel for his widow and his children. They will have to live with that for the rest of their lives. But there is no legacy to honor. It was a legacy filled with bigotry, hatred, and white supremacy. And as a Black woman and as a Muslim in this country, I refuse to join the chorus that changes the history of what is on the record from this man.”
Kirk, an outspoken anti-abortion activist and founder of Turning Point USA, frequently sparred with progressive liberals, Muslims, and LGBT+ advocates. His rhetoric sparked accusations of misogyny, Islamophobia, and homophobia.
Republicans have rallied to defend Kirk’s memory. South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace blasted Omar as “not compatible with our American values,” introducing a resolution to censure her and remove her from committee assignments. The measure ultimately failed.
Omar dismissed Mace’s attacks in remarks to The Independent. “She’s a really disturbed and demented person,” Omar said. “I hope she does get the help she needs.”
In her interview with Lemon, Omar accused Republicans of weaponizing Kirk’s death to silence dissent. “Nancy Mace, the president, like, whatever – these crazy people can do whatever they want to do, but I am not going to be bullied into complacency, into dishonoring who I am and what I stand for,” she said.
Meanwhile, Lemon himself has drawn controversy this week with a viral YouTube video questioning the role of white men in America’s mass shootings. “This country keeps waking up to bodies in the pews, blood on the floor, gunfire in public places,” he said. “And the faces behind the trigger look the same nearly every time.”
