Trump links Rep. Ilhan Omar to ISIS in Somalia without evidence, escalating feud
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump on Thursday escalated his long-running attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar, suggesting without evidence in a social media post that the Minnesota Democrat is aligned with ISIS leaders in Somalia.
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On Truth Social, Trump shared a report about recent U.S. strikes on ISIS-Somalia positions in remote mountain caves and appended a caption questioning whether Omar was present “to protect her corrupt ‘homeland.’” U.S. Africa Command has confirmed multiple strikes against ISIS facilities in Somalia this month but has provided no indication linking any U.S. official — including Omar — to the extremist group.
Omar, 43, is the first Somali American elected to Congress. She fled Somalia’s civil war at age 8, spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp and immigrated to the United States in the 1990s, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2000. She represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District and is a prominent progressive voice on foreign policy and immigration.
The post marks the latest chapter in a years-long clash between Trump and Omar that has blended policy disputes with personal attacks. Trump has repeatedly targeted Omar with unsubstantiated claims, previously accusing her of fraud, referring to her as “garbage,” and suggesting she should be jailed or deported — language that has drawn rebukes from Democrats and civil rights groups.
More recently, Trump announced that the Justice Department would investigate Omar following reports of an increase in her net worth. A spokesperson for Omar told Politico that her office has not received any notification from the department regarding an inquiry. Omar has described the former president’s fixation on her as an “obsession.”
The two have also clashed over immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Omar has criticized federal tactics and called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing the agency’s approach undermines civil liberties and community trust. She recently labeled administration officials “liars” after a woman was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, a case still under scrutiny.
Security concerns have shadowed the feud. After a man was arrested for accosting Omar and spraying her with liquid during a town hall, the congresswoman blamed what she called Trump’s “reprehensible rhetoric” for inciting attacks against her. Trump later dismissed the incident, suggesting Omar “probably had herself sprayed.”
U.S. military operations against ISIS-Somalia have intensified intermittently in recent years, targeting militants in remote areas used for training and logistics. While AFRICOM typically releases limited operational details to protect intelligence sources and methods, officials have not presented any evidence connecting Omar — or any American lawmaker — to ISIS or to activities targeted by those strikes.
Omar’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s latest post. Trump’s campaign did not elaborate on the basis for his suggestion.
The episode underscores how foreign policy flashpoints — including counterterrorism operations in East Africa — have been drawn into the United States’ domestic political warfare. It also highlights the risks faced by high-profile lawmakers, particularly women and immigrants of color, who have increasingly become targets of online harassment and real-world confrontations amid intensifying political rhetoric.
There has been no independent corroboration of Trump’s insinuation. As with previous attacks, it arrives as he rallies supporters by reviving fights with Democratic critics and as national security agencies continue operations against ISIS off the U.S. homeland — in this case, thousands of miles away in Somalia.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
