On Wednesday night, MS NOW host Chris Hayes interviewed Democrat Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar after the raid at her DC home amid an investigation into possible immigration fraud. Hayes, of course, painted Omar as the victim in the interview.
But after the long interview aired, panelist Adam Serwer, also a staff writer for The Atlantic, said the Trump Administration displayed “overt, explicit racism” not seen since the 19th century. Of course, Serwer later invoked the Civil War and claimed Trump has tried to “carry the banner of the losing side of the war.”
Former Missouri Democratic Senator turned MS NOW analyst Claire McCaskill was also a part of the post-interview panel, and began with praise for Omar, calling her an “incredible communicator. She added, “She was real. She was honest. You could tell she was speaking- as she said, she's confident in her truth.”
After MS NOW’s Chris Hayes interviewed Rep. Ilhan Omar after the raid on her DC home, panelist Adam Serwer said the Trump administration “has displayed the kind of overt, explicit racism that we haven’t seen come out of the Oval Office since maybe the 19th century.”
Serwer… pic.twitter.com/TsvOI37YUl— Nick (@nspin310) October 22, 2026
McCaskill then stated, “Trump has this list,” but said, “He hasn't indicted anyone” because “facts are in the way,” as well as juries, which she called “the ultimate equalizer.” She later jabbed, “In fact, the only person in this mess who has been convicted beyond a reasonable doubt of a felony is Donald Trump.”
Hayes joined in to defend Representative Monica McIver (D-NJ), who was charged with “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers, and the six Democratic lawmakers who implore military officers to disobey orders, who were not indicted for their “illegal orders” video. Hayes said, “The idea is to do all that to intimidate and pressure.”
Before turning to Serwer, Hayes remarked, “I was in the research for the interview, going back and just going through post after post and thing after thing Donald Trump has said about Ilhan Omar. And it's a cliché, but it's true, that we get desensitized to just the level of poisonous, racist invective that he has directed at her.”
Serwer’s response claimed racism: “Yeah, the Trump Administration has displayed the kind of overt, explicit racism that we haven't seen come out of the Oval Office since maybe the 19th century. That's not to say it wasn't there, but it wasn't public.”
In more accusations fo racism, Serwer claimed, “From day one, the entire Trump movement, whether people who have been a part of it realize it or not, has been about attacking the principle of nonracial citizenship in a democracy.”
Unsurprisingly, Serwer continued his Trump racism claims against Omar by invoking the Civil War:
And look, America fought a civil war over this in which hundreds of thousands of people died, and the people who won that war said it is a blasphemy to consider America a white man's country. But ever since then, there have been people who have tried to carry the banner of the losing side in that war in both parties, unfortunately. And right now we have one who's running the country.
The panel did not mention Omar's response when Hayes asked if Omar was related to her ex-husband, a possible focus of the immigration probe. Omar's response: "Not to my knowledge."
MS NOW began defending Omar last week by claiming many people have “fudged facts” on immigration papers. Now, they have moved on to claim the investigation and raid was an example of racism.
The transcript is below. Click "expand":
MS NOW’s All In with Chris Hayes
October 21, 2026
8:49:07 PM Eastern
CHRIS HAYES: That was Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with me on the streets of Minneapolis, the district she represents, talking about how Donald Trump's enforcement action in immigration turned her hometown upside down. We just finished an exclusive interview tonight, her first since her house was raided and searched by agents from the Department of Homeland Security. Omar spoke with me about what happened to her, the ICE siege in Minnesota, and a whole lot more.
Joining me now for the first reactions are Claire McCaskill, former Missouri senator, and Adam Silver, staff writer for The Atlantic. Claire, your impressions of what you heard from the congresswoman tonight first?
CLAIRE MCCASKILL: Well, first of all, she's an incredible communicator. She was real. She was honest. You could tell she was speaking- as she said, she's confident in her truth.
And Chris, I think it's important to point out, you know, Trump has this list, and he can investigate people. He can subpoena people and, yes, even get a search warrant. He can take evidence to a grand jury, and he can even indict people. But you know what he's not done? He's not convicted anyone. And the reason he hasn't is because facts are in his way and a jury, and that's the ultimate equalizer. A jury of 12 has to find unanimously, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the people he doesn't like have somehow committed a crime. And that's where he's on very weak ground. In fact, the only person in this mess who has been convicted beyond a reasonable doubt of a felony is Donald Trump.
HAYES: Yeah, it's a great point. And it speaks to the sort of use of these different investigative tools, the charging Monica McIver, the bringing to a grand jury the charges, you know, against the six members of Congress who are in that PSA. And now this very obviously like performative, intimidating search inside the window of 60 days. Like you can do all that, right? The idea is to do all that to intimidate and pressure.
And Adam, I got to say, like, I was in the research for the interview, going back and just going through post after post and thing after thing Donald Trump has said about Ilhan Omar. And it's a cliche, but it's true, that we get desensitized to just the level of poisonous, racist invective that he has directed at her.
ADAM SERWER: Yeah, the Trump Administration has displayed the kind of overt, explicit racism that we haven't seen come out of the Oval Office since maybe the 19th century. That's not to say it wasn't there, but it wasn't public.
And I think you need to remember also that Donald Trump becomes a Republican celebrity in 2011 because he is -
HAYES: Yes.
SERWER: - He becomes the country's biggest birther. He becomes the most high-profile person questioning the citizenship of the first black president of the United States. And that's not a coincidence. From day one, the entire Trump movement, whether people who have been a part of it realize it or not, has been about attacking the principle of nonracial citizenship in a democracy.
And look, America fought a civil war over this in which hundreds of thousands of people died, and the people who won that war said it is a blasphemy to consider America a white man's country. But ever since then, there have been people who have tried to carry the banner of the losing side in that war in both parties, unfortunately. And right now we have one who's running the country.
(...)
