US Muslim lawmaker Ilhan Omar sees rise in death threats after Trump tweet

WASHINGTON: One of the first ever Muslim members of the US Congress Ilhan Omar has reportedly said that a tweet by President Donald Trump has led to an increase in threats against her life.

Minnesota's Ilhan Omar said the threats were sparked by "violent rhetoric", accusing Mr Trump of stoking right-wing extremism. "It has to stop," she added.

It comes after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced a new "security assessment to safeguard" the lawmaker.

Donald  Trump on Monday stepped up his attacks against Ms Omar, calling her "out of control".

The US President went on to say Mrs Pelosi "should look at the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and ungrateful US HATE statements Omar has made" before defending her.

In a statement on Sunday, Ms Omar said: "Since the president's tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life - many directly referring or replying to the president's video".

Earlier, politicians, activists and celebrities had  joined an outpouring of support for US congresswoman Ilhan Omar after President Donald Trump retweeted a video on Friday.

Some called Trump's move Islamophobic and an "incitement" to violence against the Somali-American politician, while others said it put her "life in danger".

Bernie Sanders, Democratic presidential candidate had called Trump's tweet "disgusting and dangerous", while Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, scolded the president for using the "painful images of 9/11 for a political attack" against Omar.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is also seeking to become the Democratic party's presidential candidate, accused Trump of "inciting violence against a sitting congresswoman - and an entire group of Americans based on their religion".