U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) have declined to denounce the display of a Hamas flag outside the White House during a recent anti-Trump, pro-Hamas demonstration. The incident, captured in exclusive footage by independent outlet Loomer Unleashed last week, has sparked questions about the lawmakers’ stances on the controversial symbol.
On Monday, as Rep. Omar entered the Longworth House Office Building, a reporter from Loomer Unleashed asked, “Will you condemn the Hamas flag being flown outside of the White House?” Omar initially responded, “What are you talking about?” After the reporter clarified that footage showed the flag being raised during an anti-Trump, pro-Hamas protest near the White House, Omar was pressed again on whether she would condemn it. She dismissed the question, stating, “This is ridiculous,” before walking away.
The following day, Tuesday, Loomer Unleashed posed the same question to Rep. Tlaib. Rather than addressing the inquiry directly, Tlaib pivoted to unrelated topics, referencing progressive policy ideas such as a $15 minimum wage and Medicare for All, reminiscent of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ platform.
The footage in question stems from a protest held on the evening of Tuesday, March 18, outside the White House. Organized by the Palestine Youth Movement and supported by the D.C. chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the demonstration drew attention for its overt support of extreme ideologies. Among the crowd, a woman wearing a Hamas bandana was filmed hoisting a Hamas flag. Chants of “Long live the Intifada” echoed through the gathering, and some participants laid out prayer mats in front of the iconic building.
Independent journalist Laura Loomer approached the woman with the Hamas flag during the rally, asking why she chose to display it. The woman reportedly responded, “Why not display a Hamas flag?” Tensions escalated as Loomer and contributor Charles Downs faced hostility from some protesters, who told the pair that “Zionists” were not welcome at the event—despite it occurring in a public space long regarded as a bastion of free speech in the U.S.
The Palestine Youth Movement, a key organizer of the protest, has previously expressed support for Tlaib. On May 25, 2024, the PYM highlighted Rep. Tlaib’s remarks at the People’s Conference for Palestine.
As anti-Trump protests grow increasingly volatile, the reluctance of some Democrat members of Congress to denounce the presence of a terrorist organization’s flag at such events raises questions about political pressures within the Democrat party’s progressive wing.
