Capitol Police Arrest Omar Guest During Trump SOTU Address

During President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, at the U.S. Capitol, Capitol Police arrested Aliya Rahman, a guest invited by Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, for unlawful conduct and disruption of Congress after she refused orders to sit down.

Rahman, a Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen with autism and a traumatic brain injury, stood silently in the House gallery about an hour into the speech. The incident occurred as Trump discussed alleged welfare fraud schemes in Minnesota, claiming the Somali-American community had taken approximately $19 billion from taxpayers, though no supporting evidence was presented. According to Capitol Police, officers instructed Rahman to sit, but she did not comply, violating rules printed on all event tickets that prohibit demonstrations. "The guest was told to sit down but refused to obey our lawful orders," the police stated. "It is illegal to disrupt Congress and demonstrate in congressional buildings."

Rahman was removed from the gallery and charged. She later received medical treatment at George Washington University Hospital for injuries to her shoulders, which she said predated the arrest. In a...