Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) attends a field hearing at the Minnesota Senate Building on January 16, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK)– Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced on Thursday her candidacy for governor of Minnesota, saying her home state was in need of a leader who could “fix things in our state” and who would “stand up and not be rubber stamps” to the Trump administration.
“I believe we must stand up for what’s right and fix what’s wrong,” Klobuchar said in a video message announcing her run. “That’s why today, I am announcing my candidacy for governor of the state of Minnesota.”
“I like my job in the Senate,” she added. “But I love our state more than any job.”
The announcement arrived at a turbulent time in Minnesota, where thousands of federal agents have been carrying out Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration operation with the stated goal of detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.
Federal agents have been involved this month the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis, incidents that have spurred further protests in the state and around the country.
That ongoing operation has been decried by local leaders, including Tim Walz, the current governor, who on Jan. 5 ended his bid for reelection.
Walz, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, said as he bowed out that he would not be able to give a campaign all of his attention as he worked to defend Minnesota against allegations of fraud and right-wing attacks — including from President Donald Trump.
Prior to his announcement, Walz came under fire amid allegations of fraud by child-care centers in Minnesota. The governor had said the state was investigating alleged fraud and he slammed rhetoric targeting the state’s Somali community, saying those allegations could put people at risk.
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered Minnesota to begin their operation in December, prior to Walz’ campaign departure. Hundreds more agents arrived in the first weeks of the year, federal officials said. Minnesota officials filed on Jan. 12 a federal lawsuit calling for an end to the surge.
Klobuchar has been outspoken throughout the past year against what she has framed as the overreach of the Trump administration and throughout turmoil in Minnesota, including amidst the recent shootings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.
“We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is, but in these moments of enormous difficulty, we find strength in our Minnesota values of hard work, freedom, and simple decency and good will,” Klobuchar said in the video message released on Thursday.
She added, “These times call for leaders who can stand up and not be rubber stamps of this administration. But who are also willing to find common ground and fix things in our state.”
Klobuchar, who is also seen as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, was first elected to the Senate in 2006 as the first female U.S. senator elected from Minnesota. She is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and is a key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The senator had filed paperwork to create a campaign committee to run for governor last week. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Klobuchar had previously met with Walz about a possible bid for governor, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
She told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that ICE, one of the federal agencies operating in Minnesota, is “making us less safe, and they need to get out of our state.”
Alex Pretti is confronted by federal agents prior to being fatally shot in Minneapolis, Jan. 24, 2026. (Obtained by ABC News)
(WASHINGTON) — White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told ABC News that officials are “evaluating” why Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis “may not have been following” protocol in the events that led to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The comments appear to be a shift from Miller, who hours after the shooting, called Pretti, an ICU nurse for the Department of Veteran Affairs, a “domestic terrorist” and “a would-be assassin” without providing evidence. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Pretti’s conduct “the definition of domestic terrorism” — also without evidence — which sparked backlash.
Miller’s comments come as the Trump administration grapples with the fallout of Pretti’s shooting — as well as the death of Renee Good, a mother of three, who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 7.
“The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground,” Miller said in a statement.
“Additionally, the White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors. We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,” Miller told ABC News.
The administration has sought to create some distance from Miller and Noem’s earlier characterization of the shooting.
Earlier this week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, walked back the comments that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist.”
“I don’t think anybody thinks that they were comparing what happened on Saturday to the legal definition of domestic terrorism,” Blanche said on Fox News.
Asked by ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce if the president agreed with the characterization of Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt distanced the president from those comments.
“Look, as I’ve said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way,” Leavitt said during the White House press briefing on Monday. “However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts in the investigation lead itself.”
DHS did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, speaks during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. A man was apprehended during a town hall event with Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar after spraying unknown substance, according the to Associated Press.(Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(MINNEAPOLIS) — The FBI is now leading the investigation after a man charged the podium where Rep. Ilhan Omar was giving remarks during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, police said.
The man appeared to squirt a liquid at her and was then tackled to the ground by a security guard after a brief struggle.
The man, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said.
The department said its officers were at the town hall for the event and observed a man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto the congresswoman.
Preliminary reports indicate the liquid was non-toxic, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said during a press event Wednesday.
Moriarty said her office is reviewing its charging options, and that she has heard that the federal government “might charge the man as well.”
The Minneapolis Police Department said Wednesday that the FBI is now leading the investigation and that it had no further public information.
The incident sparked cries of alarm from those in attendance. The congresswoman did not appear to be injured.
“I’m going to finish my remarks. It is important for me to continue,” Omar said, using a profanity.
“We will continue,” she said. “These f—— a——- are not going to get away with it!”
The disturbance comes amid tensions in Minneapolis between local officials and the Trump administration over the immigration crackdown in the city that has seen two U.S. citizens killed in shootings involving federal agents.
Shortly before the man charged the podium, Omar called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Afterward, she told reporters that she won’t be intimidated.
“You know, I’ve survived more, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me because I’m built that way,” she said.’Omar has been the target of attacks from President Donald Trump for years. More recently, his attacks have come alongside escalated rhetoric describing the Somali community in Minnesota, the largest in the nation.
In the past several weeks, Trump has called Omar a “fake sleazebag,” and called for her to be thrown out of the U.S.
In a phone interview Tuesday evening with ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump said he hadn’t seen video of the incident and without providing evidence accused Omar of staging the attack.
“I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,” Trump said. “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
In a post on X regarding Tuesday’s incident, Omar said: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said: “Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress — an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice.” The department said it is “working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
Capitol Police said threats against members of Congress increased for the third year in a row. The department said it investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors and communications directed against members of Congress, their families and their staff last year — compared to 9,474 in 2024.
Scott Bessent, US treasury secretary, speaks during the Trump Accounts Launch Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. The US Treasury Department is bringing together senior administration officials, everyday Americans, and key stakeholders to highlight the upcoming launch of Trump Accounts. Photographer: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — As the cost of many basic goods, including groceries, continues to rise, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang, he understands the hardships facing millions of people, but argued that the Biden administration is responsible for the rising costs.
“Look, Americans should be worried about affordability. The Biden administration destroyed affordability,” he told ABC News on Wednesday, contending inflation under the Biden administration was the worst in 49 years.
Bessent did not provide more details about how the previous administration was responsible for rising costs, but claimed that the Trump administration was “getting inflation under control.”
Yet prices for goods are seeing mixed results, according to Consumer Price Index data.
For example, gas prices have decreased over the last year, while coffee prices have risen by nearly 20% and ground beef prices have risen by 15.5% during the same period, CPI data showed.
When pressed on those statistics, Bessent said people need to see costs in a broader context.
“When you step on the scale, you don’t look at the composite number of how much you weigh and say, ‘Well, my arm weighs this. My head weighs this.’ So I believe that we are quickly going to meet the [Federal Reserve’s] target of 2% inflation,” he said.
Bessent on the Fed
When it came to the Fed, Bessent stressed that President Donald Trump “has great reverence” for the body and respects the central bank but added, “independence does not mean no accountability.”
“I think it’s very important for the Fed to be both independent but accountable,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced a probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, alleging he misled Congress about costs over the renovation of Federal Reserve buildings.
Powell said in a statement that the probe is part of the administration’s push to lower interest rates.
“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” he said in a video message on Jan. 11.
A bipartisan group of senators and former Fed chairs slammed the Justice Department for the probe.
Bessent allegedly warned Trump that the investigation “made a mess” and could be bad for financial markets, according to a report by Axios. When asked about those alleged concerns, the treasury secretary told ABC News he has “repeatedly called for the Fed to do its own investigation.”
Trump accounts
Bessent was slated to appear with the president on Wednesday to discuss his “Trump Accounts” plan for families.
Under Trump’s signature tax and spending legislation, starting this July, the federal government will deposit $1,000 for every baby born between 2025 and 2028. Families can contribute up to $5,000 annually. Employers can contribute up to $2,500 per year per employee.
Michael Dell and his wife announced late last year they are donating $6.25 billion to seed savings accounts for up to 25 million American children — depositing $250 for every child age 10 and under, who lives in a zip code where the median income is below $150,000.
Bessent told ABC News that 600,000 families have already gone online to open accounts. He said he expects states to make contributions, in addition to new contributions from companies and philanthropists.
“So there will be government contribution. We believe that many states will make contributions,” he said.
“Employers are going to contribute, philanthropists are going to contribute, companies are going to contribute,” Bessent added.
JP Morgan and Bank of America announced Wednesday that they will match employees’ “Trump Accounts” by $1,000.
Venezuela
Bessent said “things are moving very quickly” when it comes to oil companies committing to invest in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector.
He didn’t provide the dollar amount that’s been committed, but said they’re seeing “great demand.”
Shortly after the U.S. removed the Venezuelan president from power on Jan. 3, Trump said that he expects at least $100 billion in investments from major companies.
But during a roundtable Trump held earlier this month with oil executives, several CEOs expressed reservations.
-ABC News’ Taylor Dunn contributed to this report.
In this June 3, 2025, file photo, Karine Jean-Pierre speaks at an event at 92NY in New York. (John Lamparski/Getty Images, FILE)
(WASHINGTON) — With a polarized political climate approaching the high-stakes 2026 midterm elections, more Americans are identifying as independents than ever before, according to a Gallup poll conducted throughout 2025.
A record-high 45% of Americans called themselves political independents in 2025. The figure is a record since Gallup started measuring in 1988 — with the previous high for independents at 43% in 2014, 2023 and 2024.
Gallup found that an equal share of Americans identified as Republicans and Democrats — 27% each.
These findings come as the midterm elections approach in November and several tight races are expected as Republicans in the House try to maintain their slim majority so they can work to push President Donald Trump’s agenda. Both Republicans and Democrats will have to appeal to independents to win any tight races nationwide.
Thomas Nickel, an 85-year-old who lives in California, told ABC News that he has been independent for several years after leaving the Democratic Party. Nickel left his former party because he said he believes Democrats have not pushed hard enough for issues that are “necessary” — specifically mentioning health care coverage. He said universal health coverage is a priority for him, which he said he believes neither party has focused on.
Trump, who has been a vocal critic of President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, unveiled his new health care proposal earlier this month, which presents a proposal to shift government insurance subsidies directly to consumers through health savings accounts and take advantage of his “most favored nation” drug price initiative. However, Trump’s proposal has left experts unsure on how impactful these ideas could be.
When asked about his thoughts on the president’s recent health care proposal, Nickel called it “ridiculous,” and added that an average person won’t be able to afford to pay for their own insurance with money they would receive directly. When asked what he would like to see Democrats do, Nickel noted that the ACA is “a step in the right direction,” but that “there’s going to be 25% of people that can’t even afford the health care premiums for the Medicare assistance.”
A Louisiana resident who did not want to disclose his name told ABC News that he is an independent because of how “divisive” politics have become. He said he remains a registered Republican so that he can vote in Republican primaries. Some states hold closed primaries where only voters registered with a certain party can vote in that party’s primary; other states hold open primaries where voters of any affiliation can vote in the primary of any party.
“I think, in recent years, especially the last decade or so, things have gotten so divisive that it feels like the minority on both sides speak for the majority,” he said, adding that he believes both parties “had alienated their voter base by being so polarizing.” He cited the Trump administration’s push to acquire Greenland as “a game of Risk,” but didn’t give specifics on Democrats’ actions he found polarizing.
Zach Servis — a 27-year-old independent who lost his bid for mayor for Jackson, Mississippi, last year — also said that the political climate is “way too polarized and hateful.”
Servis said he left the Republican Party around 2020 during the height of COVID after recognizing what he described as “hypocrisy” of his former party. He pointed to Republicans not supporting social programs such as the ACA, but willingness to help other countries — something he said is not in line with Trump’s “America First” slogan.
Looking ahead to this year’s midterm elections, Servis said he believes that independent voters have enough “power to shift which side wins.”
“I think that independent politics have an opportunity to shape this midterm where some of these parties are going to have to shift a little bit in how they win these voters — and if they’re not willing to come a little more to the middle or reach across the aisle, they’re going to risk people crossing the aisle entirely and voting even for a party they don’t believe in because at least that person’s willing to listen,” Servis said.
Generational shifts in political affiliations
The increase in the share of independents is partly attributable to a larger percentage of younger generations of Americans remaining independent as they age — compared to older generations who are less likely to remain unaffiliated, according to Gallup.
Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2007, has the highest percentage of independents, with 56% identifying as independent, Gallup found.
Gen Z is also less likely to identify as Republican compared to older generations, with 17% identifying as Republican compared to 37% of the Silent Generation (born before 1946).
Gallup found 27% of Gen Z identifying as Democrats compared to 32% of the Silent Generation.
Karine Jean-Pierre, who became an independent after serving in the Biden administration as White House press secretary, told ABC News that she believes the growing percentage of independents is not “temporary” and will continue to reshape the electorate in this 2026 election year.
“I do think there’s power amongst independents. The thing that is changing the electorate is changing in the sense of that you’re seeing more and more independents,” Jean-Pierre told ABC News.
Jean-Pierre also noted that younger generations may be reluctant to join a political party as a way to “express moral concern” over U.S. involvement in global issues.
She also noted that young independents deserve a seat at the table as the midterms approach.
“I don’t think independents, especially young independents, are disengaged,” Jean-Pierre said. “I think what they’re doing is they’re growing numbers — put pressure on both political parties to earn support with real policy results, rather than just assuming loyalty based on branding or identity.”
The Gallup poll was conducted throughout 2025 among 13,454 U.S. adults nationwide and has a margin of error of +/- 1 percentage point.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks over to reporters to make a brief statement before departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Marine One on January 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Samuel Corum/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a “massive Armada” was heading toward Iran and warned Tehran to make a nuclear deal or the attack will be “far worse.”
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse!” Trump added.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump previewed a “more relaxed” approach from federal agents operating in Minnesota following two deadly shootings in Minneapolis in recent weeks, during an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on Tuesday.
Trump has assigned White House “border czar” Tom Homan to lead the operation in Minnesota following fierce local and national backlash to violent incidents involving federal agents there.
Asked what would change with Homan now in charge, the president said “we can start doing maybe a little bit more relaxed” and “we’d like to finish the job and finish it well, and I think we can do it in a de-escalated form.”
The remarks appear to signal a shift in tone for Trump, who said just months ago that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids “haven’t gone far enough.” Trump and members of his administration had previously criticized both of the protesters who were killed — with the White House describing one as a “‘would-be assassin” — while also expressing sympathy for their families.
Those deaths came amid Operation Metro Surge, which has seen thousands of federal agents arrive in Minneapolis, where they’ve been tasked in part with detaining undocumented immigrants. That ongoing operation has been decried by local leaders, including the governor and mayor.
“Minnesota is a state that believes in the rule of law and in the dignity of all people,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote in an Op-Ed published in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. “We know that true public safety comes from trust, respect and shared purpose, not from intimidation or political theater.”
In response to a legal challenge from state officials, who are seeking a temporary halt to the operation, a federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to address the motives behind ICE’s immigration enforcement effort in the state. The judge ordered the government to file the supplemental brief by Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.
The president said conversations with Walz, who he has lambasted repeatedly for his leadership, were going “very well,” before he turned to praise Homan as “a great guy. He’s a different type. He’s a strong guy, but he gets along with people.”
Walz said on Monday he had spoken on the phone with Trump, a conversation the governor characterized as “productive.” Walz said he “told him we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota.” He said Trump had “agreed to look into” reducing the number of agents in the state.
Asked to clarify what a de-escalation in Minnesota might look like, Trump said in the interview that he wanted “people to appreciate the fact that we’ve taken thousands of criminals out, and because of that, their crime rate has gone down, which is a great thing.”
“A lot of the hardest work is already done,” he continued. “You know, we’ve taken out thousands of stone-cold criminals, including murderers. And I think that’s what the people of Minnesota want. That’s what the people of the country want. That’s why I got elected.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has repeatedly said that he and his constituents want the federal agents to leave.
“Minneapolis will continue to cooperate with state and federal law enforcement on real criminal investigations — but we will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law,” Frey said on Monday after a phone call with Trump.
Homan on Tuesday met separately with Walz and with Frey. The mayor said he had “shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.”
As to when federal agents might leave Minnesota, Trump said, “I don’t know about soon but at some point, when we have all the criminals out, they’re going to leave. It’s a positive thing, not a negative thing.”
Referring to what he called “very bad and dangerous people” in Minnesota, Trump continued, “We know where a lot of them are. And what we’re asking the governor to do is hand over the criminals that they have. It’ll make the job much easier and faster.”
The president also hinted at further federal operations elsewhere. “There will be a time coming in the not too distant future, then we go on to something else,” he said, also claiming successes in ongoing operations in Memphis, Chicago, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
“We always continue,” Trump said. “I don’t think you can just go cold turkey and go out. I think there’s a continuation.”
“We have a lot of cities and areas that want us very badly,” the president said. “So we’re going to be choosing some new ones. We have a very — we have an unlimited appetite for fixing crime in cities. They seem to be all Democrat-run.”
The president’s focus on what he has called a “migrant crime epidemic” has focused on Democratic-run major cities. Local mayors, governors and other politicians have disputed Trump’s assertion that the deployment of federal agents or the National Guard is necessary to curb supposed criminality there.
Trump dismissed criticism of federal operations in Minneapolis related to Saturday’s deadly shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, which sparked nationwide protests and demands for a full investigation. Pretti was carrying a pistol in a waist-level holster and was disarmed by federal agents before being shot multiple times.
The National Rifle Association was one of several gun-rights organizations that issued statements appearing to condemn comments made by officials, including Trump, after the shooting. Trump following the second deadly shooting in Minnesota described it as an “unfortunate incident,” but also said, “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns.” The NRA said it “unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.”
Minnesota officials confirmed Pretti had a license to carry a concealed weapon. Video evidence so far has not shown that he drew or reached for his weapon during the altercation with federal agents.
Asked about the backlash from gun-rights groups, Trump said, “Well, I haven’t seen the statements but I think when you have a fully loaded gun and two magazines, that’s not great.”
Trump has championed gun rights for years, including the right of people to protest while carrying weapons. But he also repeatedly criticized Pretti for being armed.
Gun Owners of America, another gun-rights group, responded by saying, “Peaceful protests while armed isn’t radical — it’s American. The First and Second Amendments protect those rights, and they always have.”
Trump also praised Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is facing calls to resign after the series of violent incidents involving DHS personnel. “I think she’s done a fantastic job, she’s strong,” the president said.
Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark., on Tuesday became the first Republican senators to call for Noem to lose her job.
In response, Trump branded both senators “losers.”
“They’re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,” Trump said in the interview. “What Murkowski says — she’s always against the Republicans anyway. And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.”
Among Trump’s most vociferous Minnesota opponents is Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who since 2019 has represented a district of Minneapolis. The president has repeatedly criticized Omar publicly.
During a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, a man charged the podium Omar was giving remarks, appeared to squirt a liquid at her and was then tackled to the ground by a security guard after a brief struggle.
The man, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said.
In his first comments on the attack, Trump told ABC News’ Scott of Omar, “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that.”
And, without providing evidence, Trump went on to accuse Omar of staging the attack, saying, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
Asked if he had seen the video, the president said, “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother.”
In a post on X regarding Tuesday’s incident, Omar said, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.
Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, speaks during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. A man was apprehended during a town hall event with Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar after spraying unknown substance, according the to Associated Press.(Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(MINNEAPOLIS) — During a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, a man charged the podium where Rep. Ilhan Omar was giving remarks, appeared to squirt a liquid at her and was then tackled to the ground by a security guard after a brief struggle.
The man, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said.
The department said its officers were at the town hall for the event and observed a man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid on to the congresswoman.
The incident sparked cries of alarm from those in attendance. The congresswoman did not appear to be injured.
“I’m going to finish my remarks. It is important for me to continue,” Omar said, using a profanity.
“We will continue,” she said. “These f—— a——- are not going to get away with it!”
The disturbance comes amid tensions in Minneapolis between local officials and the Trump administration over the immigration crackdown in the city that has seen two U.S. citizens killed in shootings involving federal agents.
Shortly before the man charged the podium, Omar called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Afterward, she told reporters that she won’t be intimidated.
“You know, I’ve survived more, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me because I’m built that way,” she said.
Omar has been the target of attacks from President Donald Trump for years. More recently, his attacks have come alongside escalated rhetoric describing the Somali community in Minnesota, the largest in the nation.
In the past several weeks, Trump has called Omar a “fake sleazebag,” and called for her to be thrown out of the U.S.
In a phone interview Tuesday evening with ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump said he hadn’t seen video of the incident and without providing evidence accused Omar of staging the attack.
“I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,” Trump said. “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
In a post on X regarding Tuesday’s incident, Omar said: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said: “Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress — an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice.” The department said it is “working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
Capitol Police said threats against members of Congress increased for the third year in a row. The department said it investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors and communications directed against members of Congress, their families and their staff last year — compared to 9,474 in 2024.
President Donald Trump departs the White House, January 27, 2026, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday touted the arrival of his border czar, Tom Homan, on a mission to Minneapolis — as he took personal charge of dealing with the backlash following the second fatal shooting of an American citizen by federal agents in the city.
The president, who had said Homan would report directly to him, sounded positive about his change in course so far, saying Homan had met with Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and would do the same with Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey.
“I hear things are going very nicely,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House for Iowa, where he was set to deliver remarks on the economy. But there has been no apparent immediate change or pullback in the deployment of federal immigration enforcement agents — as Walz and Frey have demanded.
The White House has noticeably sought to put some distance between the president and the controversial words of his top officials in the immediate aftermath of the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse.
Trump on Sunday declined to defend the agents involved, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said she hadn’t heard Trump characterize Pretti the same way as White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller or Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — both of whom had quickly accused him of domestic terrorism without any evidence.
Trump on Tuesday also publicly broke with Miller, telling reporters he does not believe Pretti was an “assassin” as Miller had described him.
When asked if he believes Pretti’s death was justified, Trump said a “big investigation” is underway and suggested he would be monitoring it personally.
“I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” Trump said.
At the same time, Trump continued to criticize Pretti for having a gun on him, which state and local officials said he was lawfully carrying with a concealed carry permit, telling reporters: “You can’t walk in with guns.”
On what his message is for Pretti’s family, Trump told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce: “Well, I’m looking at that whole situation. I love everybody. I love all of our people. I love his family. And it’s a very sad situation.”
Still, Trump stood by Noem on Tuesday and told reporters she won’t be stepping down.
“I think she’s done a very good job. The border is totally secure,” Trump said.
Noem met with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday as scrutiny grew over the shooting and the administration’s response, sources told ABC News. While sources saidNoem is expected to keep her job as of now, her focus is expected to shift to other priorities.
A person familiar with the planning said Homan is likely to focus on more targeted immigration enforcement efforts.
Homan’s arrival also comes as Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino is set to leave Minneapolis to return to El Centro, California, and resume his duties as chief of that sector, multiple sources told ABC News. Some Border Patrol agents are also leaving Minneapolis.
Earlier Tuesday, in a radio interview on “Sid & Friends In the Morning,” Trump said that if Minneapolis officials give the federal government “their criminals” then it “all goes away” when asked about the possibility of some federal forces leaving the state.
“What we need is their criminals. You know, they have criminals. And all I said, ‘just give us your criminals’ and if you give us the criminals, it all goes away,” the president said.
Trump also recounted calls he had with both Walz and Frey on Monday amid growing tensions in Minneapolis.
“Actually, they were both great conversations,” Trump said. “So, let’s hope that turns out to be so.”
Walz, who was critical of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in an op-ed on Monday, said he and Homan agreed to an “open dialogue” after their meeting on Tuesday.
“Governor Walz met with Tom Homan this morning and reiterated Minnesota’s priorities: impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, a swift, significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota,” Walz’s office said in a statement.
“The Governor and Homan agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals, which the President also agreed to yesterday. The Governor tasked the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as the primary liaison to Homan to ensure these goals are met,” the statement read.
Frey called his meeting with Homan “productive” in a series of posts on X.
“I reiterated that my main ask is for Operation Metro Surge to end as quickly as possible. Public safety works best when it’s built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division,” he said.
Frey added he made it clear to Homan that “Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference in the National Response Coordination Center at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, January 24, 2026 in Washington. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, two sources told ABC News, as the administration faces fallout over federal agent operations in Minnesota and the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Noem’s top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House communications director Steven Cheung were also present, according to sources.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who had called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” without evidence, was not at the meeting, sources said.
Sources said the meeting lasted about two hours and came at the request of Noem. The White House declined to comment.
The New York Times was the first to report on the meeting.
Much of the scrutiny inside the administration has been directed toward Noem over her initial response to the killing of Pretti, sources said. After Pretti was killed Saturday, Noem — like Miller — was quick to call him a “domestic terrorist” without evidence.
Asked by ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce if the president agreed with that characterization, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt distanced the president from those comments.
“Look, as I’ve said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way,” Leavitt said during the White House press briefing on Monday. “However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts in the investigation lead itself.”
While sources said Noem is expected to keep her job as of now, her focus is expected to shift to other priorities.
Trump, as he left the White House on Tuesday afternoon to travel to Iowa for an economic speech, told reporters that Noem would not be stepping down.
“I think she’s done a very good job. The border is totally secure,” Trump said.
But sources described a rift between Noem and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan — a frosty relationship that existed prior to the shooting in Minneapolis.
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Noem is “very happy” Homan will be overseeing the actions on Minneapolis.
“Secretary Noem will continue to oversee the Department of Homeland Security, and she is very happy that Tom Homan, who is a great asset to the president, has a great depth of experience and insight, will be overseeing Minneapolis,” she said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday morning.
Homan was also at the White House on Monday before heading to Minnesota at the direction of Trump — bypassing the normal chain of command where Noem and Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino had been overseeing ICE operations. Bovino is now returning to El Centro, California, to resume his duties as chief of that sector, multiple sources told ABC News.
Trump said on Monday that Homan would report directly to him.
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met with Homan on Tuesday morning. The two spoke about a number of items, including a “significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota,” according to the governor’s office.
Trump said on Tuesday that Homan would also be meeting with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat.
“I hear that’s all going very well,” Trump said Tuesday.
The decision to send Homan into the state came as a relief to several Republicans on Capitol Hill who had personally reached out to the president and other White House officials directly about the response. Criticism has grown from congressional Republicans over the Pretti shooting and Minnesota ICE operation, with more than two dozen GOP lawmakers calling for a thorough investigation.
A person familiar with the planning said Homan will likely focus on more targeted immigration enforcement efforts.
Noem and her top adviser, Lewandowski, have pushed for a harder line immigration approach including street sweeps. Bovino rankled some who felt his direct reporting to the Homeland Security secretary was problematic, and bypassed Rodney Scott, the chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, sources said.
“The President’s entire immigration enforcement team — including Secretary Noem and Border Czar Homan — are on the same page. They are working together seamlessly to implement the President’s agenda, protect the American people, and deport criminal illegal aliens,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
ABC News’ Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
