WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump denied having any involvement with or prior knowledge of federal agents' search of Rep. Ilhan Omar's home despite his frequent verbal attacks on the Democratic Minnesota congresswoman.
"Well, I understand 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 told reporters on Oct. 12 as he departed the White House to head to Youngstown, Ohio, for a campaign rally.
Homeland Security Investigations agents raided the Democrat's DC-area residence early on Oct. 12. The purpose of the search wasn't immediately clear, but top Trump administration officials have long accused the Minnesota lawmaker, who was born in Somalia and immigrated
to the United States as a child refugee, of immigration fraud, which she denies.
"I think she's a terrible person, just a complainer. She comes from a country that's a non-country, and then she comes over here, and she complains about our Constitution," Trump said when asked about the search. "I think she's a terrible person, but that's really up to the DOJ. I have nothing to do with it."
Trump has previously called for Omar to be locked up in jail or deported back to her native Somalia.
The search appears to run counter to longstanding Justice Department policy advising prosecutors to avoid taking unnecessary actions within 60 days of an election that could affect the election.
It also escalates Trump's efforts to target his political opponents by harnessing federal law enforcement, while dramatically intensifying his yearslong feud with Omar, a progressive Muslim who Trump has long targeted over her religion and ethnicity.
In a statement, the Justice Department confirmed Homeland Security Investigations had "executed a judicially authorized search warrant" at a Washington-area home as "part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation."
Omar said she's "OK" in a post on X after the search and vowed she "will not be silenced."
"Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," Omar said. "For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation."
Contributing: Zachary Schermele and Jay Stahl, USA TODAY
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump denies involvement with DHS search of Rep. Ilhan Omar's home
