Rep. Ilhan Omar pressed on old comments: 'Wasn't aware' there were 'tropes about Jews and money'

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Rep. Ilhan Omar says she 'wasn't aware' that there was a trope 'about Jews and money'

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday that she was "not aware" that there was a trope about "Jews and money" when pressed about her old controversial comments.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said Sunday during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" that she "wasn't aware" there were "tropes about Jews and money" in response to questions about previous antisemitic comments. 

CNN's Dana Bash asked Omar what she has learned from her Jewish colleagues and allies. 

"A lot. I certainly did not or was not aware that the word ‘hypnotized’ was a trope. I wasn’t aware of the fact that there are tropes about Jews and money. That has been very enlightening part of this journey. To insinuate that I knowingly said these things when people have read into my comments to make it sound as if I have something against the Jewish community is so wrong," Omar responded. 

"If you remember when I first got elected to Congress, it was when the FBI report came out, the rise of antisemitism, as the rep elected the first op-ed I wrote was on that report. Which I talked about how it was important for us as a community to coalesce around the Jewish community and fight against antisemitism," she continued. 

Rep. Ilhan Omar joins CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday's "State of the Union." (Screenshot/CNN/StateOfTheUnion)

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Omar claimed in 2012 that "Israel has hypnotized the world," and added, "may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." 

She also responded to a tweet posted by Glenn Greenwald in 2019 that said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was targeting Omar and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for their criticisms of Israel. 

Omar responded, "it's all about the Benjamin's baby," and was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for her comment. Omar has apologized for her past remarks. 

The congresswoman was joined by California Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell, and Rep. Adam Schiff on Sunday to discuss Speaker McCarthy's decision to remove Schiff and Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee. 

Reps. Adam Schiff, left, Ilhan Omar and Eric Swalwell conduct a news conference on being removed from committees assignments, in the Capitol Visitor Center on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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A full House vote is needed for Omar’s removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee. 

Omar also accused Republicans of Islamophobia during her appearance on CNN. 

"It is politically motivated, and in some cases motivated by the fact that many of these members don't believe a Muslim refugee, an African, should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee," she told the CNN host. 

Rep. Ilhan Omar in the U.S. Capitol during a group photo with the Congressional Black Caucus, on April 6, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Bash said Omar seemed to be "accusing Kevin McCarthy of racism." 

"I mean, I'm not making any accusations," Omar responded. "I'm just laying out the facts. You remember Donald Trump coming into my state and saying Muslims, Somali refugees are infiltrating our country. You remember Marjorie Taylor Greene coming to Congress after Rashida [Tlaib] and I got sworn in and saying Muslims are infiltrating Congress. You remember [Lauren] Boebert saying that I was a terrorist. What did McCarthy do? He said, ‘she apologized, and we don't have to worry about her Islamophobia.’"