Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) apologized Friday after she drew criticism online for sharing an anti-Muslim story about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during Thanksgiving break.

       During an event in her Colorado district, Boebert told the audience about an encounter with Omar in the Capitol, describing another encounter with Omar as “not my first ‘Jihad Squad’ moment,” according to a video posted on Twitter.

       Wp Get the full experience.Choose your plan ArrowRight

       “I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers,” Boebert told the laughing crowd. “You know, we’re leaving the Capitol and we’re going back to my office and we get an elevator and I see a Capitol police officer running to the elevator. I see fret all over his face, and he’s reaching, and the door’s shutting, like I can’t open it, like what’s happening. I look to my left, and there she is. Ilhan Omar. And I said, ‘Well, she doesn’t have a backpack, we should be fine.’ ”

       Advertisement

       Story continues below advertisement

       Omar on Thursday said the story was made up and called Boebert a “buffoon.”

       “Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized,” Omar said on Twitter. “Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation.”

       On Friday, Boebert tweeted an apology, saying she had reached out to Omar.

       “I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar. I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly,” Boebert tweeted. “There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.”

       Boebert’s apology came after her comments drew bipartisan criticism online, with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) calling her “TRASH” on Twitter and retweeting a message in support of Boebert’s primary challenger, Marina Zimmerman.

       Advertisement

       Story continues below advertisement

       Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) called Boebert’s comments “upsetting for many reasons.”

       “Yes, it’s anti-Muslim, and [Omar] has a young child who will see this. Even worse, this slur will inspire more death threats to Ilhan and her family,” Swalwell tweeted. “[Boebert] should be held accountable but so too should @GOPLeader McCarthy who condones it.”

       Spokesmen for Omar, Boebert and McCarthy did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the episode.