Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) offered some rare and unexpected praise of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
Her praise comes in response to the president’s announcement on Wednesday of ways to handle the coronavirus outbreak, including offering Americans checks to offset financial pains, invoking the Defense Production Act and suspending mortgage foreclosures.
Omar — who has not been shy in being critical of Trump in the past — is applauding his response.
“Politics aside, this is incredible and the right response in this critical time,” the Democratic representative tweeted late Wednesday.
Citing a saying from her freshman colleague, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Omar wrote, “Unprecedented times require unprecedented leadership and we are seeing that in our country right now.”
“This is a great start and hope others will be part of a united front to push for good policies that will help us work through the economic anxiety the country is feeling right now.”
Check out her tweets below:
Politics aside, this is incredible and the right response in this critical time. 👏🏽 https://t.co/MUzGkAxNaO
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 19, 2020
Finally, we should never let politics get in the way of good policy. This is a great start and hope others will be part of a united front to push for good policies that will help us work through the economic anxiety the country is feeling right now.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 19, 2020
While Trump is considering sending checks to Americans to help financial pains as the coronavirus sparks closures and “social distancing” across the country, Omar is hoping to introduce a bill on the House floor on Thursday. Her proposal would include giving adults in the U.S. $1,000 and children $500 per month until the crisis is over.
On Wednesday, the president signed an over $100 billion coronavirus aid package in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The package includes free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave for some, and enhanced unemployment benefits, among other elements, as IJR reported.
This is the second coronavirus relief package passed in Congress in response to the outbreak, but the Senate hopes to pass a “phase three” package to address the coronavirus.