WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump posted a scathing attack on Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Thursday, criticizing her Somali heritage and reviving a debunked rumor about her immigration.
In a message on Truth Social at 4:52 a.m. on September 19, 2025, Trump described Somalia as plagued by “a lack of central Government control, persistent Poverty, Hunger, Resurgent Terrorism, Piracy, decades of Civil War, Corruption, and pervasive Violence,” claiming 70% of its population lives in extreme poverty and widespread food insecurity. He asserted Somalia ranks among the world’s most corrupt countries, including for bribery, embezzlement, and dysfunctional governance.
Trump questioned Omar’s authority to influence U.S. policy: “All of this, and Ilhan Omar tells us how to run America!” He added a postscript: “P.S. Wasn’t she the one that married her brother in order to gain Citizenship??? What SCUM we have in our Country, telling us what to do, and how to do it.” The post ended with “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” and garnered 6,031 reposts and 19,000 likes by midday.
The marriage allegation, originating in 2016 during Omar’s Minnesota state House campaign, claims she wed her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009 to secure his U.S. citizenship. Fact-checkers have found no evidence supporting it, labeling it unsubstantiated. Omar has denied the claim, noting her brothers qualified for citizenship independently upon her naturalization in 2000. No charges were filed after investigations, including by the FBI.
Somalia’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index score of 9 ranks it 179th out of 180 countries, near the bottom, reflecting high perceived public sector corruption. Its poverty rate is approximately 54.4% to 76.8%, exacerbated by conflict, drought, and famine.
The post follows a failed House Republican effort on September 17, 2025, to censure Omar over her alleged comments on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, led by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who has repeatedly called for Omar’s deportation. The resolution failed 214-213, with some Republicans defending First Amendment rights. Omar responded on X, criticizing Mace’s “mental breakdown” and misinformation.
Omar has not directly addressed Trump’s latest post as of September 19, 2025, but previously dismissed similar attacks, emphasizing her U.S. citizenship and contributions. This echoes Trump’s past rhetoric, including 2019 tweets telling Omar and other women of color to “go back” to their countries.
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Global Affairs Desk at The Chenab Times covers international developments, global diplomacy, and foreign policy issues through fact-based reporting, explainers, and analytical pieces. The desk focuses on major geopolitical events, diplomatic engagements, and international trends, with an emphasis on verified information, multiple perspectives, and contextual understanding of global affairs.
