Elon Musk urges arrest of Somalia’s UN ambassador over alleged Medicaid fraud
NEW YORK — SpaceX founder and X owner Elon Musk called for the arrest of Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, after social media allegations linked the diplomat to past U.S. Medicaid fraud, according to reports from APA News and Axadle.
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Musk posted “Arrest him” on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to claims that Osman once owned a healthcare firm financed by U.S. taxpayers that was found guilty of Medicaid fraud. The post also asserted that Osman had previously worked as an overseer at a government Medicaid agency. The allegations could not be independently verified.
The diplomat’s profile has risen in recent days: Osman assumed the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council on January 1, 2026, as Somalia serves a 2025–2026 term as a non-permanent member. The monthlong presidency sets the Council’s agenda and chairs meetings on issues ranging from international law to global peace and security.
As of publication, no official response to Musk’s statement had been reported from Somalia’s U.N. mission or from U.S. authorities.
Musk’s intervention thrusts a high-wattage social media spotlight on a career diplomat at a sensitive moment for Somalia’s international standing. The public call, delivered on a platform Musk owns and frequently uses to weigh in on political and legal controversies, is likely to intensify scrutiny of Osman as he gavelled in Security Council business for January.
Any arrest of a sitting U.N. ambassador on U.S. soil would be highly unusual. Under international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the U.N. Headquarters Agreement, accredited diplomats to the United Nations generally enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution in the host country, except in limited circumstances. Questions about alleged misconduct by diplomats typically route through the U.S. State Department and the U.N. Office of Legal Affairs.
Somalia has sought to leverage its Security Council seat to raise its diplomatic profile after years of political reform and security challenges. The country’s presidency month is expected to feature debates on rule of law, conflict prevention, and peacekeeping mandates — an agenda now colored by the sudden controversy around its envoy.
What’s clear, what isn’t:
- Musk, responding to social media posts, publicly urged the arrest of Abukar Dahir Osman, Somalia’s ambassador to the U.N.
- The posts alleged Osman’s past link to a healthcare company found guilty of Medicaid fraud and claimed he served as an overseer at a government Medicaid agency. These claims have not been independently corroborated.
- Osman began a monthlong term as president of the U.N. Security Council on January 1, 2026, with Somalia serving as a non-permanent member for 2025–2026.
- No official responses have been reported from Somalia’s U.N. mission or U.S. authorities regarding Musk’s remarks.
The extent and veracity of the allegations remain uncertain. It also remains unclear whether any formal complaints have been lodged with the State Department or the United Nations, or whether the Somali mission will address the claims directly.
This is a developing story.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
