U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) shouts as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 24, 2026. REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A Democrat spoke out on Wednesday after her guest was "forcibly removed" from President Donald Trump's State of the Union address yesterday.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) invited Aliya Rahman, a disabled woman who was seriously injured by Trump's immigration agents in January, to attend Trump's SOTU on Tuesday. At one point, Rahman was removed from the speech while other attendees in the gallery stood quietly, Omar posted on X.
"My guest, Aliya Rahman, stood up silently in the gallery during the president’s speech for a short period of time, part of which other guests were also standing," Omar wrote. "For that, she was forcibly removed, despite warning officers about her injured shoulders and ultimately charged with ‘Unlawful Conduct.’"
"Reports indicate she was aggressively handled until someone intervened to secure medical attention," she continued. "She was taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment and later booked at the United States Capitol Police headquarters."
"The heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy," Omar added. "I am calling for a full explanation of why this arrest occurred."