Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis declared that Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar should be expelled from Congress and deported after she seemed to tell an audience that she feels she represents Somalia in Congress instead of Americans.
Omar — who was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1995 — spoke to local Somali leaders at an event in Minneapolis on Saturday night.
A translation of her speech shared on social media suggested the member of the “squad” of left-wing representatives placed Somalia’s interests ahead of America’s interests.
“The US government will only do what Somalians in the US tell them to do!” Omar told the audience, according to the translation. “They will do what we want and nothing else.
“They must follow our orders, and that is how we will safeguard the interest of Somalia.”
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“The US is a country where one of your daughters (myself) is in Congress to represent your interests,” Omar said. “For as long as I am in the US Congress, Somalia will never be in danger. … the US would not dare to support anyone against Somalia.”
“Sleep in comfort, knowing I am here to protect the interests of Somalia from inside the US system,” she said.
The often anti-Semitic congresswoman also told her audience that she and her fellow Somali expatriates are “Somalians first, Muslims second,” according to the translation. She did not mention Americans.
Ilhan Omar, an American congresswoman, tells Somalians that she is Somalian first, Muslim second, and… [no, American wasn’t even mentioned].
Oh, and she says that her primary job in Congress is to protect Somali interests. pic.twitter.com/ex5IlkAkR2
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 28, 2024
Following the release of the translated video of Omar on the X platform, DeSantis — a former presidential candidate who served in Congress himself — called for her expulsion.
In a post on Tuesday, the governor was very direct, saying, “Expel from Congress, denaturalize and deport!”
Expel from Congress, denaturalize and deport! https://t.co/UyjEmSSIoQ
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 30, 2024
Many other Republicans issued similar calls on social media.
Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota said Omar should “resign in disgrace.”
Ilhan Omar’s appalling, Somalia-first comments are a slap in the face to the Minnesotans she was elected to serve and a direct violation of her oath of office. She should resign in disgrace.https://t.co/O3lAEGlokt
— Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) January 29, 2024
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia also blasted the congresswoman.
“Terrorist sympathizer Ilhan Omar in her own words: Somalian first. Muslim second. She never mentions America,” Greene wrote.
Terrorist sympathizer Ilhan Omar in her own words: Somalian first. Muslim second. She never mentions America.
She 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.
These… https://t.co/94D5E6B79I
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) January 29, 2024
Former President Donald Trump’s son also spoke out against Omar.
“Listen to it all. It’s not hyperbole when we say our representatives are putting America last,” Donald Trump Jr. said.
Listen to it all. It’s not hyperbole when we say our representatives are putting America last. https://t.co/I8WKmCd2bi
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 29, 2024
Omar, however, claimed the meaning of her words was lost in translation, saying in an X post on Sunday that the widely shared video was “not only slanted but completely off.”
“I wouldn’t expect more from these propagandists. I pray for them and for their sanity,” she said.
The congresswoman later reposted what was described as “an accurate and verbatim translation” of her speech.
For those seeking an accurate and verbatim translation of what Congresswoman @Ilhan said, here it is:
[The context is: she was addressing her Somali-American constituents, who were alarmed by Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed’s announcement of his intention to assist a region/province in… pic.twitter.com/1SOD4GxEnG
— Abdirashid Hashi (@AnalystSomalia) January 29, 2024
“The US government will do what we ask it to do,” that translation quoted Omar as saying. “We should have this confidence in ourselves as Somalis. We live in this country. We are taxpayers in this country.
“This country is one where one of your daughters sits in Congress. While I am in Congress, no one will take Somalia’s sea.”
