Top U.S. House Democrats and civil rights advocates condemned Republican Representative Randy Fine on Wednesday over remarks deemed "racist" and "Islamophobic" toward Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The backlash came after Fine responded to Omar’s post on X, where she criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s U.S. visit, calling him a "war criminal"—a reference to the International Criminal Court’s 2024 arrest warrant against him over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Netanyahu denies.
In his reply, Fine wrote: “I’m sure it is difficult to see us welcome the killer of so many of your fellow Muslim terrorists.” The comment, targeting Omar, a Muslim and Somali-American lawmaker, triggered strong reactions from House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar, who jointly labeled Fine’s remarks as “unhinged, racist and Islamophobic.” Omar thanked her colleagues on X for standing with her.
Robert McCaw of the Council on American-Islamic Relations denounced Fine as "anti-Muslim," citing a pattern of past inflammatory comments. He urged bipartisan condemnation, emphasizing the dangers of rising hate speech amid increasing political polarization in the U.S.
Democrats also referenced the recent assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, warning of escalating political violence, particularly in Omar’s home state. Fine dismissed criticism, accusing Democrats of siding with extremists.
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tension in U.S. political discourse, with growing concerns over Islamophobia and antisemitism linked to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Rights groups have warned that inflammatory rhetoric from public officials could further inflame division and threaten the safety of elected leaders, especially those from minority backgrounds.