Connecticut Republicans are calling for the removal of Democratic state Sen. Saud Anwar as chair of the legislature’s public health committee following a photo of Anwar posing with a sign they say called for the death of President Donald Trump.
In a social media post, Anwar appeared in a photo at Saturday’s anti-Trump “No Kings” rally in Hartford posing with a rallygoer and holding a sign reading “CHOLESTEROL, DO YOUR JOB.”
In a statement, state Sen. Stephen Harding, the Senate GOP leader, called the sign “disgusting” and “hateful.”
“This man is a doctor: He is someone supposedly entrusted with protecting health. Yet, he just posed, with a wide grin on his face, with a sign wishing death upon the President of the United States,” Harding wrote. “That behavior is frightening, abhorrent, disgraceful, and beneath the dignity of our state legislature. No one who promotes this kind of vile and harmful rhetoric should ever be allowed to lead Connecticut’s Public Health Committee.”
Reached by phone Monday morning, Anwar told Connecticut Public “it’s a stretch” to consider the sign, which he said he did not make, to be calling for Trump’s death.
“If you want to have that kind of a conversation, then let's talk about the Young Republican group that leaked last week … joking about Hitler and gas chambers and rape,” Anwar said. “The Vice President, JD Vance, called that antisemitism and homophobia stupid jokes made by young kids. And now for them to have this performative outrage, that is fascinating, because it is very selective.”
In a written statement on Monday, Anwar further dismissed the criticism as faux outrage.
“Some Republicans are pretending to be outraged over a photo of me standing next to a satirical sign at a No Kings rally,” Anwar said in a statement. “Republicans are furious over a joke, but silent when our democracy, our health care and our planet are under attack. The outrage is a performative distraction.”
“While they’re busy clutching pearls over a piece of poster board, families in Connecticut are fighting for affordable health care, quality education and fundamental constitutional rights,” Anwar said.
Democratic Senate President Martin Looney shrugged off the GOP’s calls for Anwar’s removal in a statement.
"Senator Anwar has been a steadfast leader on public health and a respected voice in the Senate. We won’t dignify manufactured outrage over a joking social media post when there are far more serious issues facing Connecticut families,” Looney said. “I wish that rather than spewing this faux anger, Republicans could gin up one iota of actual concern for the Connecticut workers Trump has fired or the 300% increase in health care premiums he is delivering for thousands in our communities.”
Asked about Looney’s statement, Harding, the GOP Senate leader, expressed pique.
“Did he say ‘a joking social media post?’ I don't know when it became normal in this country to have a sign hoping the president has a heart attack as a joke,” Harding said by phone. “And if that's what we've come to in this country, or if that's what the Democratic leadership of the Senate thinks is a joke, I think we have more than just simply substance disagreements then. I'm really starting to question someone's character that thinks that's a joke.”
At an unrelated press conference Monday, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said the sign was “offensive and inappropriate.”
“[Anwar] shouldn’t have been there next to that sign,” Lamont said. “I think he regrets it – I hope he says so.”
The controversy comes just days after President Trump posted an AI-generated video to social media depicting himself wearing a crown, flying a fighter jet and dumping a brown liquid appearing to be feces on the heads of protestors in American cities.
This story was updated to include comment from Gov. Ned Lamont and additional comment from Sen. Harding.
