Trump Rips 'Somali Pirate' Fraud - Ilhan Omar Starts Crying
Trump Calls Out 'Somali Pirates' in $19B Minnesota Fraud Remarks, Camera Pans to Distraught Ilhan Omar as She Appears on Verge of Tears
In one of the most electric moments of his 2026 State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump zeroed in on what he called a “stunning example” of corruption in Minnesota, directly tying it to fraud allegedly carried out by members of the Somali immigrant community.
“When it comes to the corruption that is plundering America, there has been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer,” Trump declared. He continued, “The Somali pirates who ransack Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception.”
As the president announced a new “war on fraud” to be led by Vice President JD Vance, the camera cut to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the first Somali-American elected to Congress, who appeared visibly emotional, with tears in her eyes. The clip, posted by the popular X account @EndWokeness, exploded online within minutes,
Omar had heckled Trump moments earlier, shouting “That’s a lie!” as he spoke about the scandal, prompting a sharp exchange. Trump fired back that she and other Democrats “should be ashamed of themselves.”
The Minnesota fraud case has been a recurring flashpoint. Federal investigators have long scrutinized a massive pandemic-era scheme that stole hundreds of millions from a federally funded nutrition program, with many of those charged tied to Somali networks in the state. Trump has repeatedly escalated the rhetoric, calling the operation the work of “Somali bandits” and “pirates” and accusing Omar of ties to the scandal.
The viral video shows Trump mid-sentence on the fraud, followed by the dramatic camera pan to Omar’s distressed reaction, sparking an avalanche of memes, reactions, and commentary on X.
Democrats and critics quickly condemned Trump’s remarks as inflammatory and racist, while supporters hailed them as long-overdue accountability for what they describe as years of unchecked fraud enabled by sanctuary policies and lax oversight.