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, Muskās 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 homelandās interests.
To Musk, the comments crossed a serious line.
āThis sounds like treason,ā 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 ā whose district includes the nationās largest Somali community ā insisted she would oppose any move she believed harmed Somalia.
According to the translation, Omar told listeners, āThe U.S. government will do what we ask it to do.ā
She went on to urge confidence within the Somali American community, adding, āWhile I am in Congress, no one will take Somaliaās sea, and the U.S. government wonāt support others to rob US.ā
Once Musk amplified the video, it spread even more widely, folding into a broader national debate already stirred by Trumpās 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 ādoes nothing but bā-,ā and claimed she came from āthe worst country in the world.ā
As he ramped up his attack, the crowd responded with a familiar chant: āSend her back!ā
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 Trumpās remarks and framing his fixation on her as unhealthy.
āTrumpās obsession with me is beyond weird,ā she wrote on X. āHe needs serious helpā¦ He continues to be a national embarrassment.ā
What began as a local speech from nearly a year ago has now become another flashpoint ā amplified by one of the worldās most influential tech CEOs and pulled squarely into the center of national Politics.