Democratic political strategist James Carville has renewed his criticism of Ilhan Omar, suggesting that the Minnesota congresswoman consider leaving the Democratic Party due to ideological differences.
Carville made the remarks during an appearance on the Straight Shooter podcast hosted by Stephen A. Smith. During the discussion, Smith referenced comments Carville made in May 2025 on his own podcast, Politics War Room, where the veteran strategist sharply criticized Omar, a member of the progressive group of lawmakers commonly known as “the Squad.” Carville, who gained national prominence as a key strategist for former President Bill Clinton, said his views on Omar have not changed. He questioned whether her political approach aligns with the Democratic Party’s broader electoral strategy and pointed to ongoing ideological tensions between moderate and progressive factions within the party. “Why don’t you just get out of the Democratic Party and start your own movement?” Carville said when discussing Omar’s political stance. His criticism partly referenced remarks Omar made in a 2018 interview with the media outlet Al Jazeera, in which she argued that the United States should pay closer attention to violence committed by white men. Carville contended that such statements risk alienating segments of the electorate.
Citing crime statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice, Carville argued that broad generalizations about demographic groups can be politically counterproductive. He also suggested Omar might be more closely aligned with organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America, noting that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has maintained an affiliation with the group while serving as a Democrat in Congress.
