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Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was harshly criticized by conservatives on social media after a video went viral showing speaking about her support for Somalia, the nation from which she hails.
Rep. Ilhan Omar was addressing a crowd in a Minneapolis hotel when she spoke about Somaliland and the unrecognized state’s deal with Ethiopia, which Somalia alleges infringes on its territory.
The video shared to X contains an English translation, which has not been verified by the Washington Examiner (however, Omar’s response to the controversy lends credence to the translation being at least largely accurate). The translation includes Omar stating she’s in Congress to represent Somali Americans’ interests and that the “U.S. will do what we want and nothing else.”
While it appears, Omar was speaking to a largely Somali American crowd and showing support for her constituents and their motherland, many prominent users on X (formerly Twitter) took issue with the video.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA), often a critic of Omar, wrote that the Democratic “Squad” member “flaunts using her position as congresswoman to protect Somalia’s border while our border is invaded by MILLIONS of illegals who are a danger to America,” stressing the need for citizens to vote in November.
Omar responded to the controversy by replying to a comment on the clip, in which a researcher wrote, “This interpretation is slanted. Omar says she is representing the interests of Somalis in the United States, which is a legitimate task, as a Congresswoman in any democratic system. She says at the end that all the five territories will be liberated, but it appears rhetorical.”
“It’s not only slanted but completely off, but I wouldn’t expect more from these propagandists,” Omar wrote in response. “I pray for them and for their sanity. No nation state can survive if its states start to get involved in land lease negotiations with other countries without the consent of the federal government. Somalis in Somalia and in the diaspora are united in that effort and I stand in solidarity with them. No amount of harassment and lies will ever change that.”
It’s not only slanted but completely off, but I wouldn’t expect more from these propagandists. I pray for them and for their sanity. No nation state can survive if its states start to get involved in land lease negotiations with other countries without the consent of the federal… https://t.co/bmdEAN6aUH
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2024
“Ethiopia and Kenya have stolen and continue to occupy the Somali Region state, which belongs to Somalia. We will liberate the occupied territories stolen from Somalia, Djibouti, Somaliland and the North Eastern province (in Kenya) that belong to the greater Somalia.”, Rep Ilhan Omar.
The Minnesota Democrat was referring to Ethiopia’s memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, in which Somaliland agreed to lease part of its coastland to Ethiopia, a landlocked country.
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The video attracted the attention of X users from Kenya and Somaliland. Ambassador Rhoda Elmi ,Deputy minister of foreign affairs from republic of Somaliland, Ambassador expressed her shock and surprise over the remarks terming it as lacking in common decency.
“The language she employed was regrettably unbecoming of both the office she holds and the constituents she represents. Her expressions were lacking in common decency and revealed a significant lack of understanding of basic facts.”, Ambassador Rhoda Elmi posted on X.
A Kenyan X user Kiigen Koech posted that Rep. Ilhan Omar suffers from the same divided loyalty that leaders from North Eastern Province do.
“I am NOT surprised by the comments by AMERICAN CONGRESSWOMAN, ILHAN OMAR. She suffers from the same DIVIDED LOYALTY that our leaders from North Eastern Province do. You can take them out of Somalia but you can’t take Somali out of them. Only best such leaders RESIGN!”, Kiigen posted
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s Past Troubles
This is not the first time Ilan Omar finds herself in trouble, In July 2021, the Transatlantic Institute published a story titled Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Has a Problem with Jews.
In 2022, Rep Ilhan Omar again found herself in a contested bid for reelection and she almost lost in the August primary to former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. In February 2023, republicans ousted Representative Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee over past comments about Israel that were widely condemned as antisemitic.
