Republicans Call for Ilhan Omar to ‘Resign in Disgrace’ over ‘Appalling Somalia-First’ Speech

US Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, speaks during a press conference with
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Joshua Klein

Minnesota “squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) is facing fierce backlash and accusations of threatening to “make the U.S. bow to Somali interests,” with Republicans and others calling for her ousting after a clip appears to show her telling Somali Americans that her first priority in office is not America, but Somalia. 

In remarks she made to a crowd that included Somali leaders in a Minneapolis hotel, the Somali-born Democrat congresswoman appeared to prioritize Somali interests — including expanding Somalia’s territory — over American ones.

According to a translation of her comments featured in a viral clip posted to X with more than 4.3 million views as of Tuesday morning, the pro-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Omar describes herself as “Somalian first” and “Muslim second,” saying that “the U.S. government will only do what Somalians in the U.S. tell them to do.” 

“They will do what we want and nothing else,” she continues. “They must follow our orders, and that is how we will safeguard the interest of Somalia.” 

“We Somalians must have that confidence in ourselves that we call the shots in the U.S.,” she adds.

Describing America as a country where “one of your daughters is in Congress to represent your interests,” Omar tells the crowd to “sleep in comfort, knowing I am here to protect the interests of Somalia from inside the U.S. system.” 

Widecsale outrage ensued after her comments went viral.

“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,” wrote House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN).

“She should resign in disgrace,” he added.

“Terrorist sympathizer Ilhan Omar, in her own words: Somalian first. Muslim second. She never mentions America,” wrote Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “She flaunts using her position as [a] congresswoman to protect Somalia’s border while our border is invaded by MILLIONS of illegals who are a danger to America.”

“These people hate America, and they’re so emboldened by the Democrats’ disdain for our country, they’re not even trying to hide it anymore,” she noted.

She then called Americans to “[g]et out and vote in 2024.” 

“Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring every like-minded Patriot you know to the polls/ We THE PEOPLE have a country to save!” she exclaimed.

“Listen to it all. It’s not hyperbole when we say our representatives are putting America last,” wrote former President Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. 

“Shameful how Republicans have allowed for this jihadist subversion of America to continue,” wrote right-wing activist Laura Loomer.

“Ilhan Omar is a congresswoman in the U.S. House of Representatives…here she is telling Somalis in America that she [is] doing the work of Somalia,” wrote Dr. Sebastian Gorka, former adviser to former President Donald Trump.

“Should she be deported?” he asked.

“DOJ, IRS, etc. should be investigating Ilhan Omar,” wrote Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

“Ilhan Omar is a pretty clear example of why we must never allow foreign-born or foreign-raised aliens to become elected members of government,” wrote conservative influencer Rogan O’Handley.

“She’s a traitor to America,” wrote the popular Libs of TikTok X account.

“George Santos was expelled from Congress—by his own party!—because he lied on his resume. Ilhan Omar says she’s Somali first, Muslim second, never says she’s American, & threatens to make the U.S. bow to Somali interests,” wrote conservative commentator Liz Wheeler.

“EXPEL HER, you cowards,” she urged.

“Ilhan Omar didn’t just break her oath of office. She broke her oath of American citizenship,” wrote the popular EndWokeness account. “She should be expelled and deported.”

“Our government has been TOTALLY INFILTRATED,” wrote independent journalist Nick Sortor.

“Ilhan Omar needs her citizenship revoked retroactively. She clearly hates being an American,” wrote podcaster Joey Mannarino.

“Ilhan Omar should have been investigated and expelled from Congress for immigration fraud a LONG time ago, potentially even deported,” wrote conservative pundit Brigitte Gabriel.

“We have immigration laws for a reason!” she added.

“Ilhan Omar puts Somalia first, Islam second, and America last,” she wrote in another post.

“She’s openly admitting allegiance to a foreign nation and to using her position in government to put that foreign nation first. This is treason,” insisted director and producer Robby Starbuck.  

“Ilhan Omar is an agent for Somalia. It’s all out in the open. She should be removed from Congress, at the very least. Absolutely insane,” he added.

“I would say Ilhan Omar has dual loyalty, but what’s the loyalty she has besides Somalia?” asked Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

“Ilhan Omar vows her allegiance to another country while she serves in our representative government. Is this not treason?” wrote the Florida-based grassroots parental rights organization Moms for Liberty. “Moms were called domestic terrorists for asking questions of their school boards, and this goes ignored?”

“Ilhan Omar was born in Somalia, cared for in Western-funded refugee camps in Kenya, she was brought over to Minnesota by Catholic charities and never had to work a day in her life,” wrote political commentator Mike Cernovich.

“And yet she still hates America and Israel,” he added.

“Rep Ilhan Omar should be expelled from Congress…,” wrote conservative commentator Gunther Eagleman. 

In addition, Somaliland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Rhoda J Elmi slammed Omar for her use of “ethno-racist rhetoric” and “her endeavors to revive the once-violent and dangerous ideology of Greater Somalia or Somali Weyn, which caused so much death, destruction and conflict in the Horn of Africa.”

She also called on the House leadership and her caucus to “take note of her public conduct, unbecoming a United States congresswoman nor representative of the August House she serves in.”

In response to the backlash, Omar claimed her words were misinterpreted while accusing her critics of “harassment and lies.”

Omar has a history of controversy, having been accused repeatedly of being antisemitic and anti-American, including in past statements accusing Israel of being an “apartheid regime” that has “hypnotized the world” and claiming pro-Israel stances of politicians are “all about the Benjamins.”

She has also referred to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, as a day in which “some people did something.”

In February 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reiterated why Omar is “unfit” to represent the U.S. on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) also blasted the congresswoman after she equated the United States and Israel to Hamas terrorists and the Taliban.

“Omar is an antisemite who hates America and hates American troops,” he said. “She has no place serving in Congress.”

In 2019, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) defended Omar, telling reporters that while Omar had made several anti-Jewish remarks, she had not been “intentionally antisemitic.”

In 2023, the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) accused Omar of hating America “as much as Israel.”

Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.