Elon Musk ignited a political firestorm this week after seizing on a resurfaced video of Rep. Ilhan Omar and accusing her of betraying the country she serves.
According to Fox News, Musk’s accusation came in a blunt post on X, where he reacted to a clip of Omar reassuring Somali constituents last year that she would protect their homeland’s interests.
To Musk, the comments crossed a serious line.
“This sounds like treason,” Musk wrote as he reposted the translated footage.
The clip shows Omar speaking to supporters in Minnesota in early 2024 as debate intensified over whether Somaliland would permit Ethiopia to build a naval base along its coastline.
Omar — whose district includes the nation’s largest Somali community — insisted she would oppose any move she believed harmed Somalia.
According to the translation, Omar told listeners, “The U.S. government will do what we ask it to do.”
She went on to urge confidence within the Somali American community, adding, “While I am in Congress, no one will take Somalia’s sea, and the U.S. government won’t support others to rob us.”
Once Musk amplified the video, it spread even more widely, folding into a broader national debate already stirred by Trump’s rally the night before.
During a stop in Pennsylvania, Trump sharply criticized Omar, accusing her of prioritizing Somalia over the United States. He mocked her appearance, complained that she “does nothing but b—-,” and claimed she came from “the worst country in the world.”
As he ramped up his attack, the crowd responded with a familiar chant: “Send her back!”
Trump also pointed to a string of fraud cases in Minnesota involving Somali immigrants and blasted Gov. Tim Walz, arguing the schemes flourished under his leadership.
Omar fired back later that night, dismissing Trump’s remarks and framing his fixation on her as unhealthy.
“Trump’s obsession with me is beyond weird,” she wrote on X. “He needs serious help… He continues to be a national embarrassment.”
What began as a local speech from nearly a year ago has now become another flashpoint — amplified by one of the world’s most influential tech CEOs and pulled squarely into the center of national politics.
