WASHINGTON — The feud between Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Ilhan Omar intensified on Wednesday as Mace moved to censure Omar and strip her committee assignments, citing Omar’s past remarks about Charlie Kirk and a TikTok post Omar reposted that appeared to celebrate his death.
Mace, a South Carolina Republican who is running for governor, opened the day with a post criticizing those who celebrate violence and said she had filed the censure measure to curb Omar’s conduct. As of press time, Omar’s repost remained on her X account, and the House was poised to consider the resolution later in the day. The week’s broader context includes the death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, which has amplified partisan tensions in the chamber.
The resolution to censure Omar centers on a TikTok video from user lvworkshop that seemingly gloated over Kirk’s death and describes Omar’s remarks as warranting removal from committee assignments. Omar has argued that the measure targets comments she never made and characterized the move as fundraising and political theater. She contended there is no connection between her committee assignments and deportation, and she said she would continue to serve in Congress regardless of the outcome.
We would be looking at a formal censure and the potential stripping of committee assignments because the actions cited are seen as inconsistent with a representative’s duties, Omar said in response to the push. She added that the fight is about more than one comment and reflected the broader clash between the so-called Squad and their Republican counterparts.
Mace pressed back in turn, accusing Omar of inflammatory rhetoric and confirming that she would push to expel or otherwise discipline Omar with a two-thirds vote if necessary. The South Carolina Republican also mused about the possibility of removing Omar’s citizenship in theory, noting the constitutional hurdle that would require a two-thirds majority in the House. In the exchange that has drawn public attention, Omar retorted that Mace’s accusations are hypocritical and pointed to past controversies surrounding Mace herself.
The exchange occurred on the same floor of the Longworth House Office Building where the two lawmakers work, underscoring how personal and political tensions have become entwined in daily legislative life. Omar, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States as a refugee in 1995, has said the censure push targets her responses to inflammatory rhetoric rather than her conduct as a lawmaker. Mace, meanwhile, has said the matter is not personal but a test of standards for members of Congress and could have consequences beyond Omar’s current assignments.
The debate comes as Omar criticized the focus on committee assignments, arguing that the political optics of the move are designed to boost fundraising for Mace’s gubernatorial bid. Omar asserted that regardless of committee status, she would remain in Congress and continue to represent her constituents. The House would need a two-thirds vote to expel Omar, a step that has not been threatened in concrete terms by party leadership, but one that looms as a potential outcome if the censure fails to quell the confrontation.
As the day unfolds, lawmakers and aides are watching the implications for party discipline, governing strategy, and the broader political environment ahead of upcoming elections. The rift between Mace and Omar is emblematic of a wider tension between the conservative wing of the GOP and the more activist members aligned with Omar’s fellow progressive Democrats. The outcome of the vote and any subsequent actions could shape the way Congress handles internal dissent in a highly polarized climate.
