Trump, Congresswoman Embroiled in 9/11 War of Words

The often-vitriolic American political atmosphere revisited one of the most traumatic events in American history this week as the president and a newly-elected congresswoman exchanged barbs surrounding the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The controversy began after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mn.) delivered remarks to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) surrounding human rights and Muslim relations in the United States in a post-9/11 world. At CAIR, Rep. Omar, a Muslim woman herself, heralded the organization and mission, referencing its development as a result of the resentment towards Muslim-Americans in the wake of 9/11. Rep. Omar stated that CAIR leadership “recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.” In referencing the terrorist attacks as an event in which “some people did something,” some public officials, including the president, interpreted Omar as trivializing the tragedy.

In response, President Donald Trump proceeded to post a video to Twitter that had stitched together video of Rep. Omar with graphic footage of the hijacked planes hitting the World Trade Center in 2001. The video concluded with the text “Here’s Your Something” overlaid upon a photo of the burning World Trade Center. The president’s tweet has been widely denounced throughout Washington, with several media outlets choosing not to show the graphic footage when covering the incident. Many have criticized the president for inciting violence against Rep. Omar, with 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful and California Senator Kamala Harris describing the president as using “the most powerful platform in the world to sow hate and division” by “vilifying a whole religion.”

The controversy has led to circulation of previously-aired footage of Mr. Trump on 9/11 speaking with news reporters while the towers smoldered. In the footage, Trump states that the destruction of the World Trade Center resulted in a Trump property becoming the tallest structure in Lower Manhattan, a claim now disputed. Many viewed the president’s remarks on 9/11 as boastful and disrespectful, calling into question the validity of his criticism of Rep. Omar.

Research published by the FBI shows that hate crimes against American-Muslims skyrocketed after 9/11, remaining more than three times higher a decade after the attack than previously recorded.

The controversy comes on the heels of the much-discussed criticism made by Oman concerning AIPAC and political funds provided by the pro-Israel lobbying juggernaut. In referring to lobbying efforts, Representative Oman suggested that Congressional leader support for Israel is often motivated by “the Benjamins.” The comment was interpreted by some as anti-Semantic and referencing stereotypes and conspiracies concerning “Jewish money.” Others in Congress and the media defended Omar, pointing to the legitimate spending power of AIPAC and similar lobbying firms. Omar was ultimately reprimanded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the comment.

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2011 resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa.