Ilhan Omar asked God to forgive Donald Trump for attacking her just hours after the arrest of a Trump supporter who threatened to kill the Democratic congresswoman.

A man from New York was arrested on Friday after the FBI said he phoned up Ms Omar’s office and told a staff member: “Why are you working for her, she’s a f***ing terrorist. I’ll put a bullet in her f***ing skull.”

He later told bureau investigators he “loves the president and that he hates radical Muslims in our government,” according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors.

Shortly after his arrest, Mr Trump mocked Ms Omar at a Republican Jewish Coalition event in Las Vegas. Pretending to thank the congresswoman for supporting Israel, he said: “Special thanks to Representative Omar of Minnesota. Oh, I forgot. She doesn’t like Israel. I forgot. I’m so sorry.”

Ms Omar responded late on Saturday, tweeting in both English and Arabic, “My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know”; a phrase echoing Jesus’ last words in the Gospel of Luke: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights Show all 7 1 /7 Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights An Israeli soldier stands next to signs pointing out distances to different cities on Mount Bental, an observation post in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Reuters Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights Druze people take part in a rally in Majdal Shams near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria Reuters Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights Israeli Druzes sit together watching the Syrian side of the Israel-Syria border on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Reuters Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights A European member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) using binoculars to look towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights AFP/Getty Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights A file photo taken on October 19, 1973 shows Israeli Defence Minister General Moshe Dayan (R) looking towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, four days after the beginning of the Yom Kippur War AFP/Getty Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights A file photo taken on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on September 5, 2014 shows members of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone (UNDOF) using binoculars to look towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights AFP/Getty Trump backs Israel’s annexation of Golan Heights Members of the United Nations peacekeepers standing on a watch tower during a visit by the Israeli Defence Minister in 2018 AFP/Getty

She faced widespread criticism for suggesting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) was buying influence for pro-Israel policies. Republicans and Democrats alike said the tweets stoked antisemitic tropes about Jews and money.

The 37-year-old mother-of-three, who is the first Somali-American, the first African-born American, and one of the first two Muslim-American women to serve in the US congress, later apologised for the comments.