‘We keep taking in garbage’ - American Somali community faces harshest Donald Trump rhetoric yet

US President Donald Trump’s latest denunciations of Somali immigrants sent tremors through Minnesota’s large Somali diaspora on Wednesday, prompting sharp political backlash and renewed anxiety over potential federal enforcement actions. For a community that has endured years of rhetorical targeting, the ferocity of this week’s remarks marked a new escalation.

What exactly did Donald Trump say about Somali immigrants?

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Donald Trump delivered one of his harshest assessments yet of Somali Americans.

“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” the US president told reporters. “We can go one way or the other, and we’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.”

Donald Trump followed the comments with an even blunter remark: “When they come from hell, and they complain and do nothing but bitch. We don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it!”

Trump doubled down: “Somalians should be out of here. They’ve destroyed our country.”

The US president added that he “wouldn’t be proud” to have the nation’s largest Somali community, asserting, “Look at their nation. Look how bad their nation is. It’s not even a nation. It’s just a people walking around killing each other.”

Targeting Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Trump called him a “fool,” before turning once again to Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar: “(She is) always talking about the constitution. Go back to your own country and figure out your constitution.”

Trump later added: “Somalia is considered by many to be the worst country on Earth — I won’t be there any time soon.”

Why is the Somali community in Minnesota so significant?

The Minneapolis–St Paul region is home to an estimated 84,000 people of Somali descent, nearly one-third of the entire Somali population in the United States. Their arrival dates back to the 1990s, when refugees fleeing civil conflict resettled in Minnesota, drawn by social support programmes and an expanding diaspora network.

Over time, Somali Minnesotans have become a visible and influential part of the state’s political fabric. Community members serve in the state legislature, on city councils, and in various civic institutions.

Ilhan Omar — frequently singled out by Donald Trump — represents Minnesota in the US House of Representatives.

Why Trump’s remarks matter now?

The latest tirade from Donald Trump comes days after the administration halted all asylum decisions following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House in Washington. While the suspect has Afghan origins, Trump broadened the criticism to other immigrant groups, including Somalis.

His comments also coincided with reports that federal authorities are preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. According to an individual familiar with the planning, the effort would primarily focus on Somali immigrants who are living unlawfully in the United States.

Most Somalis in Minnesota, however, are American citizens — many born in the country.

The president further alleged on social media that Minnesota is “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” claiming he would send Somalis “back to where they came from.”

How have state officials, Somali community leaders responded?

Minnesota leaders swiftly condemned Trump’s rhetoric, urging residents to avoid conflating isolated incidents with an entire community.

Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined Somali community figures in defending the state’s Somali residents, emphasising their contributions and long-standing presence.

Frey’s response was unequivocal: “Minneapolis is — and will remain — a city that stands up for our residents.”

Community leaders have also pushed back against attempts to link recent fraud cases in social programmes to Somali Americans at large.

What role does Ilhan Omar play in this controversy?

Representative Ilhan Omar has long been a focal point of Trump’s criticisms, and the president’s recent comments revived earlier accusations surrounding her marital history.

Trump referenced claims — circulated in February 2025 by VIN News — in which a Somali community leader alleged that Omar married her brother to “do what she had to do to get him ‘papers’ to keep him in the US.” Omar has consistently denied the allegation, and no conclusive evidence has emerged.