Vice President J.D. Vance said Tuesday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively investigating Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), escalating scrutiny surrounding the Minnesota Democrat and fueling speculation about a possible federal indictment.
Vance made the remarks during a White House press briefing while temporarily filling in for press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave.
The comments came after Daily Caller correspondent Reagan Reese asked Vance about longstanding allegations tied to Omar’s immigration history, marriage timeline and previous federal scrutiny involving campaign finances.
“I don’t want to prejudge an investigation,” Vance said during the briefing. “You read the things about Ilhan Omar, and about who she married, and whether she didn’t marry this person or that person. It certainly seems like something fishy is there. But everyone is entitled to equal justice under the laws.”
Vance then appeared to confirm that the matter is currently under federal review.
“So we’re going to investigate it, we’re going to take a look at it,” the vice president said. “If we think there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime, and that’s something that the Department of Justice is looking at right now.”
The remarks mark the clearest public acknowledgment yet from the Trump administration suggesting Omar may currently face an active DOJ investigation.
Neither the Department of Justice nor Omar’s congressional office immediately responded to requests for comment following Vance’s statements.
Omar has repeatedly denied wrongdoing over the years and has consistently dismissed Republican accusations against her as politically motivated attacks designed to damage her reputation.
The controversy surrounding Omar stretches back years and has included allegations involving campaign spending, tax filings, personal relationships and immigration history.
Conservatives have frequently questioned aspects of Omar’s marriage history and whether previous relationships may have violated immigration laws, though no criminal charges have ever been filed against her related to those claims.
Tuesday’s comments also come amid renewed Republican scrutiny tied to Minnesota’s massive Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, one of the largest COVID-era fraud cases in US history.
Republican lawmakers in Minnesota have increasingly attempted to connect Omar to organizations and individuals implicated in the scheme, particularly through her support for pandemic-era food assistance expansions under the federal MEALS Act.
Earlier this month, Republicans on a Minnesota House committee attempted to subpoena Omar for documents tied to the Feeding Our Future investigation, though the effort failed after Democrats blocked the move in a tied committee vote.
GOP lawmakers have argued that pandemic waivers and loosened oversight measures created vulnerabilities that allowed widespread abuse within child nutrition programs.
Omar’s office has declined invitations to testify before the Minnesota committee investigating the scandal.
Vance’s remarks also follow previous reporting from The New York Times claiming that former President Joe Biden’s Justice Department quietly reviewed Omar’s finances and campaign activity in 2024, according to the Conservative Brief.
According to that report, investigators reportedly examined campaign expenditures, financial records and alleged contacts involving a non-US citizen, though prosecutors ultimately did not move forward with charges.
The Trump administration now appears to be revisiting at least parts of that inquiry.
During Tuesday’s briefing, Vance pushed back against concerns that Omar was being politically targeted.
“Everyone is entitled to equal justice under the laws,” the vice president said.
The comments are likely to intensify political pressure on Omar as Republicans continue making government corruption and fraud investigations a major focus heading into the 2026 midterm elections.