Trump escalates bigoted rant against Somali immigrants an...

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Trump escalates bigoted rant against Somali immigrants and calls for Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to be thrown ‘out of our country’

“It’s not even a nation,” Trump said of Somalia. “It’s just people walking around killing each other.”

Brendan RasciusIn New YorkThursday 04 December 2025 03:00 GMTComments

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President Donald Trump has called for immigrants from Somalia — including Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar — to “be thrown the hell out” of the U.S., escalating his rhetoric against a community that has long drawn his ire.

He made the remarks in the Oval Office on Wednesday, a day after describing immigrants from the East African nation as “garbage” and claiming they “do nothing but complain.”

While sitting behind the Resolute Desk, the Republican president was told by a reporter that Jacob Frey — the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis — is proud to have a large number of Somali immigrants in the city.

Before she could ask her question, Trump responded, “Well then, he’s a fool.”

“I wouldn’t be proud,” the president said. “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.”

"The Somalians should be out of here," the president said on Wednesday. "They have destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain."

open image in gallery"The Somalians should be out of here," the president said on Wednesday. "They have destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain." (Getty Images)

He then singled out Omar, a progressive Democrat and frequent recipient of Trump’s withering criticism.

“They have a representative, Ilhan Omar, who they say married her brother, that’s a fraud, she tries to deny it now, but you can’t really deny it because, you know, it just happened,” Trump said.

Omar’s family fled Somalia’s civil war, seeking refuge in Kenya, before moving to Minneapolis in 1997. The Somali-American has dismissed allegations that she married her brother, potentially to flout immigration laws, as “baseless rumors.”

“She shouldn’t be allowed to be a congresswoman,” Trump continued. “And I’m sure people are looking at that. And she should be thrown the hell out of our country.”

open image in galleryTrump said that Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, "should be thrown the hell out of our country." (Getty Images)

Following the president’s comments, Omar, Frey and a crowd of other Democrats quickly issued condemnatory responses.

“He’s always been a racist, a bigot, a xenophobic and Islamaphobic,” Omar told MS NOW. “So it is not surprising that he is going after Black immigrants in this country.”

“We love that Minnesota has welcomed us,” she added. “And we are going to be here regardless of what the president has to say.”

In a post on X, Frey — who has been in office since 2018 — wrote, “Somali Americans are Americans. Their nation is America. And we are proud to have these Americans in Minneapolis.”

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat, chimed in as well, writing on X that it’s “doubtful that Donald Trump could even find Somalia on a map.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also denounced Trump’s remarks, issuing a statement that said, “The hateful claims made about Somali-Americans and Somali immigrants sound exactly like the remarks once made about the Irish, Italians and other communities who endured bigotry while establishing their place in our nation.”

“Somali Americans are Americans,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in a post on X, responding to Trump’s statements. “Their nation is America. And we are proud to have these Americans in Minneapolis.”

open image in gallery“Somali Americans are Americans,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in a post on X, responding to Trump’s statements. “Their nation is America. And we are proud to have these Americans in Minneapolis.” (Getty)

Some influential MAGA commentators amplified the president’s message, though, including Laura Loomer, who wrote on X, “DENATURALIZE ILHAN OMAR!” A number of commenters agreed, writing “Sounds good” and “Send her home !!!”

Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently taken aim at immigrant communities, including during his first term when he questioned why the U.S. would accept people from Haiti and African nations, which he reportedly labeled “s***hole countries.”

Recently, the president has turned his attention towards Somali immigrants, particularly those living in Minnesota — which hosts the nation' s largest Somali population. His administration is expected to deploy dozens of ICE agents to Minneapolis to arrest Somalis with final deportation orders, The Independent previously reported.

There are roughly 79,400 Somalis in the North Star State, about half of whom were born outside the U.S., according to Minnesota Compass, a research organization. In total, about 5.7 million people live in the state.

The Republican president’s remarks were also heard halfway around the world. During an event on Wednesday, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said, “We are not the only country that Trump insults,” according to The New York Times.

“Sometimes it’s better not to respond,” he added.