Donald Trump broke into an impression of Ilhan Omar marrying her brother, reviving a long-running rumor about the left-wing congresswoman during a speech in Florida on Friday. The president and the Minnesota 'Squad' member have long been at odds, with Trump amplifying reports that Omar used her brother to gain entry into the United States.
Trump's Remarks
Speaking in The Villages, Florida, Trump launched into an impression of the Somali-American congresswoman, whom he claimed 'heads' Somali immigration to America. 'She married her brother to come in!' the president said. He speculated she was under investigation, stating, 'They're looking at her, I have nothing to do with it,' before reiterating his belief that she married her brother. 'It's a lovely couple actually, but it's a little bit on the illegal side. Darling, I love you very much, good night brother, let's go to bed.'
Trump added, 'Isn't she despicable? I can't stand watching her,' and referenced rumors about her net worth. 'Did you see? Last month, she accidentally checked a box that said she was worth $38 million and law enforcement came after her for that and after that, she was worth less than $80,000. She said it was an accounting error. Not a very good accountant.' He summarized Omar as someone whose 'whole life is based on fraud and a scam. The whole thing is a scam and we oughta get those people the hell out of our country!'
Omar's Response
Congresswoman Omar quickly responded on social media with her own allegations. 'This unhinged rant would solicit anger if it wasn't coming from a criminal, who has 34 felony convictions, held accountable for rape and accused of being a pedo,' Omar wrote. 'I still don't know how anyone would willingly humiliate themselves like this but here we are. Btw, the pedophile protection party should find new material for their deflection.'
A source from the Somali community told the Daily Mail in February 2020 that Omar told friends years ago that the man who became her second husband was her brother. Abdihakim Osman was the first to go on record, saying Omar wanted to get her brother papers to stay in the US while she was married to her first husband, Ahmed Hirsi. Omar has denied the allegations, and there is scant evidence supporting them.
Financial Scrutiny
Earlier this year, Omar came under investigation after financial disclosures showed her family's reported wealth exploding to over $30 million in a single year. The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, is examining how the 'Squad' lawmaker and her husband rapidly amassed millions amid a $9 billion Somali social services fraud scandal in Minnesota. Investigators are weighing subpoenas to probe whether politically connected businesses tied to Omar's family warrant deeper scrutiny.
Federal prosecutors have opened a broader investigation into alleged industrial-scale fraud involving billions in social service funds in Minnesota. Republicans argue that scandal makes Omar's financial windfall impossible to ignore. 'We're going to get answers, whether it's through the Ethics Committee or the Oversight Committee, one of the two,' Comer said to the New York Post.
In a video posted to Instagram, Omar scoffed at questions about her connection to the fraud scandal. 'Why would there be an allegation that I'm complicit? How would I be complicit?' she snapped at a reporter. When pressed, she lashed out: 'Do you just ask stupid questions? Nine billion, really? That is more than half of the resources that are allocated. So, you genuinely think your brain has told you that it is possible for half of the resources for our public service to have disappeared? Listen to yourself.' When the reporter cited Comer's concerns, Omar doubled down: 'That's what Comer believes because he's as smart as you are. There's absolutely no goddam way.'
Omar has forcefully rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing. She has never been charged or formally accused of a crime related to the Minnesota fraud scandal or her husband's soaring net worth.
Trump's Visit
Trump was in The Villages, a community for older Americans, to discuss how his policies benefit them. He said he loves Florida and was 'thrilled' to be among the 'great American patriots' of The Villages. 'Now, you know I shouldn't be here,' Trump said, referencing an alleged assassination attempt during a gala dinner in Washington the previous weekend. He said he should be 'indoors at a secure facility' and asked, 'What's more secure than The Villages?'
