Somalia: Outcry in Minnesota After Claims Trump Used Slurs Against Somali Immigrants
Washington — Comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he used derogatory language to describe Somali immigrants in Minnesota, have stirred widespread anger and concern among Somali-American communities and their supporters.
According to remarks widely circulated on Somali-language platforms, Trump reportedly referred to Somalis as “trash” and suggested they “do not deserve to be welcomed in the United States.”
The comments were said to have been made at the end of a televised cabinet meeting, where he allegedly accused Somalis of coming from “a place with nothing” yet “complaining constantly.”
The unverified comments also claimed Trump urged Somali immigrants to “go back to their country and fix it,” with Vice President JD Vance purportedly appearing to support the statements.
The remarks — if confirmed — would constitute some of the harshest language Trump has been accused of directing at a refugee community. They also reportedly included personal insults toward Representative Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born U.S. lawmaker from Minnesota, whom Trump allegedly labelled “trash.”
Omar’s spokesperson, Jacklyn Rogers, has previously dismissed Trump’s attacks, saying the congresswoman believes the president “is deeply unwell” and hopes he “gets the help he needs.”
Leaders within the Somali-American community condemned the reported comments, viewing them as part of a broader pattern of political rhetoric aimed at stoking tension around immigration at a time when the administration faces pressure over inflation and legal challenges tied to U.S. military operations in the Caribbean region.
Community advocates said the episode has left many Somali-Americans feeling targeted and devalued despite their long-standing contributions as workers, taxpayers and citizens.
By Shabelle.
