Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has strongly denounced President Donald Trump after he launched a tirade targeting her and Minnesota’s Somali community, calling immigrants “garbage” and suggesting they should leave the United States.

Trump’s Remarks

During a cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025, Trump described Omar and other Somali immigrants in Minnesota as “garbage,” stating:

“We’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. Ilhan Omar is garbage. She’s garbage. Her friends are garbage.”

Trump criticized Omar for allegedly complaining about the US for years, calling her “incompetent” and a “terrible person,” while claiming he did not know her personally.

Omar’s Response

Omar, a former child refugee from Somalia and the first Somali American elected to Congress, responded on social media:

“His obsession with me is creepy. I hope he gets the help he desperately needs.”

She represents a Minnesota district with one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the US.

Somali Community in Minnesota

While historically facing higher unemployment and poverty, Somali Americans in Minnesota have seen significant upward mobility over the past two decades. A 2021 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce report noted improvements in workforce participation, household income, and education levels.

Trump’s Broader Anti-Immigration Actions

Following a recent shooting involving two National Guard troops by an Afghan man, Trump has ramped up anti-immigration rhetoric, targeting Somalia and other “third world” countries. Actions include:

• Suspending migration from 19 countries
• Reviewing the status of permanent residents from these nations
• Increased ICE operations in Minnesota, seen by critics as targeting Somali Americans

Omar has long been a target of Trump’s criticisms, including during his first term, when he implemented the so-called “Muslim ban” affecting Somalia and other Muslim-majority countries.

Political Reactions

Progressive group Justice Democrats condemned Trump’s attacks as “disgustingly racist,” stating:

“Stoke hate, divide our communities, & send ICE in to terrorize our neighbors. Pathetic.”