Representative Ilhan Omar publicly responded to Donald Trump's characterization of her as "crooked as hell" in remarks where the former president made allegations about fraud in Minnesota.

In her response, Omar accused Trump of following a pattern of directing hostility toward her and the Somali community when facing scrutiny over his own conduct. She characterized Trump's comments as part of what she described as a "tired playbook of lies, racism and deflection."

Omar argued that Trump uses fraud allegations as a political tool while benefiting financially from his position. She suggested this approach serves to distract from what she characterized as Trump's own enrichment activities.

The representative referenced a quote attributed to Lyndon B. Johnson about racial divisions being used to distract from economic exploitation, drawing parallels to what she described as Trump's current political strategy.

The exchange represents the latest in ongoing tensions between Trump and Omar, a progressive Democrat who has frequently been a target of the former president's criticism. Omar's statement did not provide specific details about the fraud allegations Trump referenced regarding Minnesota.