Former US President Donald Trump has intensified a controversial campaign against Somali immigrants, explicitly calling for their mass deportation and singling out progressive Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to be thrown "the hell out" of the United States.
Oval Office Outburst Against a Community
The remarks were made from the Oval Office on Wednesday, 4 December 2024. Trump's tirade was triggered when a journalist mentioned that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, was proud of the city's large Somali immigrant population. "Well then, he's a fool," Trump retorted before the question could be asked.
"I wouldn't be proud," the former president continued. "Look how bad their nation is. It's not even a nation. It's just people walking around killing each other...And the Somalians should be out of here. They have destroyed our country." He repeated claims that immigrants from Somalia "do nothing but complain."
Targeting Ilhan Omar with Personal Allegations
Trump then focused his attack on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American Democrat representing Minnesota. He revived debunked allegations about her personal life, stating, "They have a representative, Ilhan Omar, who they say married her brother, that's a fraud...She shouldn't be allowed to be a congresswoman. And I'm sure people are looking at that. And she should be thrown the hell out of our country."
Omar, whose family fled Somalia's civil war and settled in Minneapolis in 1997 after time in a Kenyan refugee camp, has consistently dismissed the marriage claims as "baseless rumours."
Swift Condemnation and Defence
The response from Democrats and advocacy groups was immediate and forceful. Omar labelled Trump a "racist, a bigot, a xenophobic and Islamaphobic," adding his attack on Black immigrants was unsurprising. "We love that Minnesota has welcomed us," she stated. "And we are going to be here regardless of what the president has to say."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey posted on X: "Somali Americans are Americans. Their nation is America. And we are proud to have these Americans in Minneapolis." Minnesota Senator Tina Smith suggested Trump likely couldn't find Somalia on a map.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) compared the rhetoric to historical bigotry against Irish and Italian immigrants. However, some pro-Trump commentators online amplified his message, with calls to "DENATURALIZE ILHAN OMAR!"
Broader Context and Policy Moves
This incident is part of a long pattern for Trump, who during his first term reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti as "s***hole countries." His administration is reportedly preparing to deploy dozens of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Minneapolis to arrest Somalis with final deportation orders.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the US, with roughly 79,400 individuals according to research group Minnesota Compass. About half were born outside the country.
The remarks even drew a muted response from Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who noted, "We are not the only country that Trump insults," and suggested it was sometimes better not to respond.
