Confusion has emerged in political circles after Rep. Ilhan Omar suggested that Democrats should be open to working with former supporters of President Donald Trump who are now distancing themselves from him.

In comments made during an interview on Pod Save America, Omar pointed to figures within Trump’s MAGA movement, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, arguing that their shift away from the president reflects a “wake-up call” about his leadership. 

Omar (D-MN) said Democrats should credit and embrace former strong supporters of Trump who have turned critical of him.

In an interview this week with Tommy Vietor, Omar pointed to figures who once backed Trump strongly but has since become an outspoken critic. Former congresswoman Greene has said Trump is not the same man she supported in 2016.

Vietor played a clip of Greene during the interview. He noted that other past Trump backers have also grown more critical after events including the release of the Epstein files and the war with Iran.

Omar Calls for Democrats to Welcome Critics

Omar said it is important for Americans to work together to protect the country.

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“As Americans, it is really important for us to work together for the preservation of everything that is good in our country and to support leaders that we can trust to safeguard what is good about our country,” Omar said.

She argued that criticism from people like Greene matters because it is not about single policies but about rejecting Trump himself. Omar said these former supporters now see Trump as someone who “never really had any principles outside of uplifting his ego.”

“I think that we should give them credit for that, the fact that they’ve had this wake-up call to finally seeing this con man, this corrupt, chaotic man, for what he is,” Omar said.

She added that Democrats should reach out to such people and work with them to address problems caused by Trump.

Past Tensions Between Omar and Greene

Omar and Greene have had sharp disagreements in the past. Greene pushed to censure Omar in 2024 and called her a possible “foreign agent.” Omar sought to remove Greene from committee assignments in 2021 over threatening posts.

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Despite that history, Omar said she spoke to Greene on the House floor before Greene left Congress last year. Omar thanked Greene for her position on ending the genocide and for speaking about conditions in Gaza.

“Before she left, I found her on the House floor and thanked her for her support in ending the genocide, her willingness to speak up about what the people in Gaza have experienced and what our tax dollars have allowed to take place,” Omar said.

Why This Matters

Omar’s comments show an effort by a prominent Democrat to build bridges with some on the right who have broken with Trump. The move comes as Greene and others publicly renounce their earlier support and describe changes in Trump’s approach since 2016.

This outreach shows divisions within the Republican side and raises questions about how Democrats plan to handle shifting alliances in Congress and among voters. It also points to shared positions on specific issues like Gaza policy that crossed party lines between Omar and Greene.