Was Ilhan Omar Sworn in with Her Hand on the Quran?

As the first Somali American and refugee to become a member of Congress, Omar has often been the target of unfounded rumors about her background.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, entered the national spotlight in 2019 after becoming the first refugee, first Somali American and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. Almost immediately, online rumors began to swirl about the young progressive politician's religion, politics and family.

One claim in particular, that she married her brother, has circulated for years — including when President Donald Trump shared the rumor on social media in November 2025 — though Snopes has repeatedly determined it has no basis in truth. Trump also falsely claimed Omar said the terrorist group al-Qaida made her "proud."

On Jan. 27, 2026, a man attacked Omar at a town hall meeting, using a syringe to spray liquid on her. This prompted Trump to reportedly claim, without evidence, that the Minnesota representative staged the incident. In the aftermath, Snopes debunked two images purportedly showing Omar pictured with her attacker and a satirical claim about her relationship to him.

Here are 17 rumors about Omar we've looked into: