Rep. Ilhan Omar on Friday tried to walk back her explosive criticism of former President Obama in an interview published earlier in the day — claiming that her words were distorted.

“Exhibit A of how reporters distort words. I’m an Obama fan! I was saying how [President] Trump is different from Obama, and why we should focus on policy not politics,” she tweeted, referring to an interview published earlier in the day by Politico Magazine.

She included a nearly two-minute recording of her interview. But the audio clip essentially confirmed that her quotes, though edited, were accurate.

In the interview, Omar ripped Obama, mocking the ex-president’s “pretty face” and dismissing his agenda of hope and change as an illusion.

She cited the “caging of kids” at the Mexican border and the armed “droning of countries around the world” on Obama’s watch — and argued

that he wasn’t much different from President Trump.

“We can’t be only upset with Trump. His policies are bad, but many of the people who came before him also had really bad policies,” the freshman firebrand told the outlet in a clear knock at the first African-American president. “{They just were more polished than he was.

“And that’s not what we should be looking for anymore. We don’t want anybody to get away with murder because they are polished. We want to recognize the actual policies that are behind the pretty face and the smile.”

The former president’s office did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.