Overview
- At a Mount Pocono event billed as an economic speech, the president mocked Rep. Ilhan Omar’s hijab as a “little turban,” repeated the disputed claim she married her brother, and urged “throw her the hell out,” drawing “send her back” chants.
- He denounced Somalia as “filthy, dirty, disgusting” and revisited his “shithole countries” remark while touting a pause on migration from nations including Somalia, Haiti, and Afghanistan.
- Omar, a U.S. citizen, rejected the allegation and called his fixation “beyond weird,” saying he is recycling bigoted lies rather than discussing policy.
- The remarks coincided with ICE’s Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which has reported at least 19 detentions, including eight Somalis, and with administration moves to terminate Somali Temporary Protected Status.
- Trump tied his stance to pandemic-era fraud prosecutions in Minnesota, where federal authorities have charged dozens, mostly of Somali descent, in schemes alleging hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.