Ilhan Omar Says Trump's Cognitive Decline Has Been Visible "For a Very Long Time"

Rep. Ilhan Omar said President Donald Trump's apparent cognitive decline has been visible "for a very long time," sharpening one of her most personal criticisms of the president while he was visiting China, on a high-stakes trip dominated by the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz, and fears of a broader global economic shock.

Asked about Trump's cognitive state, the Minnesota Democrat said the president does not appear to understand the consequences of his own actions.

"We've been seeing it for a very long time," Omar said. "It doesn't seem like he fully understands what he is talking about. Doesn't have a good grasp on the reality that he has created not only in this country but also in the world."

Omar's comments focused not only on Trump's rhetoric but also on the economic consequences of the crisis. She rejected the idea that pressure around Hormuz could be framed as strategic brilliance.

"All they think it's not a genius move," Omar said, referring to the closing or disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait remains one of the world's most sensitive oil choke points. Reuters reported Thursday that oil prices dipped after Iranian state media said about 30 vessels had crossed the Strait in recent hours, while the semi-official Fars news agency said Iran had begun allowing some Chinese vessels to transit.

Omar warned that the impact is already reaching far beyond energy markets. "Farmers, they can't afford enough fertilizers. There is an economic impact not only in the price of gas but everything else."

"My constituents are feeling it. Minnesotans are feeling it and people around the world," she added.

The remarks fit into a broader pattern of Omar questioning Trump's mental fitness and blaming his rhetoric for making her a target. In January, after a man sprayed her with liquid during a Minneapolis town hall, Omar said Trump's "hateful rhetoric" had caused threats against her to rise.

It also comes after the president himself boasted several times about this cognitive tests results.