Former President Donald Trump has called on Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to “go back” to her home country, in a renewed escalation that reignited debate over anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the United States — particularly amid rising political tensions ahead of the upcoming elections.
Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social on Saturday: “She should go back!” — referring to Omar’s Somali origins.
Ilhan Omar, who represents the state of Minnesota in Congress, was born in Somalia and fled the civil war at the age of eight. She arrived in the United States in 1995 after spending four years in a refugee camp in Kenya. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 and is now serving her fourth term in Congress.
Trump’s recent post follows a series of attacks against Omar in recent weeks. In September, he told reporters in the Oval Office: “I met the President of Somalia and told him he might want to take her back. He said: I don’t want her.”
Omar Responds Calmly to Trump’s Renewed Attack
Trump has previously criticized Omar during his 2020 campaign, accusing her of trying to “dictate how the country should be run,” referring to her progressive political positions and her frequent criticism of his administration’s policies.
Reactions to Trump’s post came swiftly from his supporters in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, including activist Laura Loomer, who amplified his remarks across social media platforms.
Meanwhile, Omar’s office has not released an official statement. However, during a local radio interview on Friday, she said she was not worried about repeated calls for her deportation. “I don’t know how they plan to strip my citizenship and deport me. I’m no longer the eight-year-old who fled war. I’ve grown up, and so have my children. I can live wherever I want,” she said.