President Donald Trump referred to Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as a “total scam artist” during a speech in Detroit on January 13, 2026.
In the segment, Trump stated: “…involved in these sick plots to loot and pillage our country. Together with that Ilhan Omar. She’s from Somalia. They don’t have a government. They don’t have a military. Didn’t have anything. All they have is murderers and pirates bringing in ships. Pirates. To stop them, sink them. That is the end of them. It is amazing how that can stop piracy. Those missiles, they never miss, you know. The same one, exactly the same one. But think of it. She comes from a country and she comes here and she tells us about our constitution. I have a constitutional right to rip off the country. She is a total scam artist. Anybody knows. How do you let her get away with it? AOC plus three. She was one of the three. They are all scammers. They are so bad for our country.”
Trump’s comments referenced Omar’s Somali background, describing the country in harsh terms and linking her to alleged fraud or exploitation. He grouped her with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and others, reviving the phrase “AOC plus three” — a term he has used since around 2019 to refer to progressive Democratic congresswomen often called “The Squad,” which includes Omar, Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
These remarks occurred during an appearance at the Detroit Economic Club, where Trump primarily discussed economic topics such as GDP growth, inflation, and tariffs. Reports indicate the speech included broader criticisms of immigration and naturalized citizens involved in fraud, with Trump threatening to revoke citizenship for those convicted of defrauding U.S. citizens, specifically mentioning immigrants from Somalia or elsewhere. He also touched on the Somali community in states like Minnesota and Maine.
The timing aligns with ongoing tensions related to immigration enforcement and a welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota involving childcare programs, which some reports have linked to discussions about Somali immigrants. Trump has repeatedly targeted Omar in recent months, including accusations tied to fraud claims against Somali communities in Minnesota, calls for investigations into her immigration history (which she has denied), and criticisms amid administration policies on deportations and Temporary Protected Status. Omar, who arrived in the U.S. as a child refugee from Somalia and became a citizen in her teens, has represented Minnesota’s 5th District since 2019 and has frequently clashed with Trump over issues like immigration, foreign policy, and domestic policy.
The Detroit speech marked one instance in a pattern of comments where Trump has criticized Omar’s citizenship, contributions, and political positions, often framing them as detrimental to the country.
