U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D–Minn.) is again at the center of a political firestorm after President Donald Trump used a post on his Truth Social platform to call for her imprisonment or deportation, reviving long-standing attacks against the congresswoman and questioning her legitimacy as an elected official.
In the post, Trump referred to Omar as a “fake ‘Congresswoman’” and suggested she should either be jailed or sent to Somalia, saying her removal would allow her to “help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN.” The remarks were tied to unsubstantiated claims of large-scale fraud in Minnesota and Trump’s broader rhetoric around immigration enforcement and protests against deportations.
Trump alleged that Omar knew what he described as “billions of dollars” in fraud linked to Minnesota’s Somali community, claims he did not provide evidence to support.
He further asserted that his administration was already investigating what he called “$18 billion-plus” in fraud in the state, accusing Omar and Minnesota officials of using public controversy to distract from the issue.
The former president also used the post to praise U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deporting individuals he labeled as violent criminals, while criticizing Minnesota leaders for opposing some removals.
He suggested that protests against immigration enforcement were being driven by paid agitators and anarchists, echoing language he has used in past attacks on political opponents.
Omar’s Background and Role
Rep. Ilhan Omar has represented Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District since early 2019. Born in Somalia, she arrived in the United States as a refugee and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.
She is one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and has frequently been a target of attacks from Trump and other Republicans, often centered on her immigration background and outspoken criticism of U.S. foreign and domestic policy.
Trump’s latest comments also resurfaced criticism over a past remark in which Omar referred to the United States using profane language during a political speech, a comment that has previously drawn condemnation from conservative lawmakers. Following Trump’s post, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah weighed in on X (formerly Twitter), saying no member of Congress should use such language and questioning what consequences, if any, should follow.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk later entered the exchange, responding to Lee’s post by suggesting, without elaboration, that the appropriate response would be “whatever the penalty is for treason,” a statement that drew criticism from Omar’s supporters as inflammatory.
Political Reaction and Context
While Omar has not immediately responded publicly to Trump’s latest remarks, Democratic allies and civil rights advocates have previously condemned similar statements as racist, unconstitutional, and dangerous, noting that calls to deport a sitting member of Congress who is a U.S. citizen have no legal basis.
The renewed attacks come amid heightened political tensions over immigration policy, federal investigations, and the role of protest movements across several U.S. states. Trump, who has continued to dominate political discourse since leaving office, has increasingly used social media to single out individual lawmakers as part of his broader campaign-style messaging.
As the rhetoric escalates, Omar remains a prominent figure in national debates on immigration, civil liberties, and U.S. foreign policy—issues that continue to polarize American politics heading into the next election cycle.
