Trump demands Ilhan Omar’s resignation after birth name report, calls her ‘scammer’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, October 22, called on Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar to resign from Congress after a federal court filing identified the Minnesota lawmaker as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” 

Speaking at a rally in Iowa, Trump alleged that Omar had used a fake name to take her congressional oath, although the claim has not been established in court as of yet. Omar’s office has strongly rejected the allegation, maintaining that her name is genuine.

Trump demands Ilhan Omar’s resignation after federal filing

Trump referred to the filing, submitted on Wednesday, October 21, by the office of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, while addressing supporters in Iowa. The document, first obtained by Fox News, lists the name “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar” in proceedings to keep materials sealed in connection with a federal search warrant for Omar’s Washington-area home.

“It was just revealed just a little while ago that … her name is not Ilhan Omar, the one that she used to get elected and sworn into Congress,” Trump said. “She used a fake name to be sworn in. I assume she must immediately have to resign from Congress.”

The president subsequently declared that “the Republicans have just picked up a seat in the House.”

Trump also accused Omar of being a “scammer” and questioned her background, making disparaging remarks about Somalia, where she was born. He linked the name allegation to longstanding claims that Omar’s former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, was her brother. Omar has repeatedly denied that allegation.

A spokesperson for Omar told the outlet that “this is completely false. Ilhan Omar is her real name.” The spokesperson also described the allegation as a “desperate smear” intended to distract from the Trump administration and said it was “disgraceful that the media continues to give this lie oxygen.”

Ilhan Omar denies allegations amid federal investigation

Omar addressed the longstanding marriage allegation during an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes on Wednesday, describing it as “insane.” When asked whether she was related to Elmi, she replied that “not to my knowledge.”

Earlier this month, federal agents searched Omar’s Washington-area home on October 12 as part of an ongoing criminal investigation involving immigration paperwork. The Justice Department described the search as being conducted under a “judicially authorised search warrant.” Omar has, however, denied wrongdoing and characterised the investigation as political intimidation.

Omar said that agents arrived at about 6 am and searched the property for four or five hours, seizing 17 items, including phones, notebooks, a Somali-language children’s book and a vintage camera belonging to her husband. The congresswoman described the agents as “intrusive but polite” and said that the experience had left her feeling unsafe in the home, prompting her to plan a move.

Omar, who came to the United States from Somalia as a child and later became a naturalised US citizen, said that she was confident she had done nothing wrong.

The allegations come less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking re-election in her Minneapolis-area district.