


Rep. Ilhan Omar is facing criticism after a video circulated on social media showing her speaking about her support for Somalia, with the lawmaker saying later that her comments were misinterpreted.
The Minnesota Democrat was speaking at an event in Minneapolis Friday in which she talked about a deal made by Ethiopia and Somalia that would allow land-locked Ethiopia to gain access to the sea on the Somaliland coastline.
Some translations of parts of the video said she was telling Somali Americans that her “Number One job” is to look out for Somalia and that one day the country will go after other territories to “unify all Somali-speaking people.”
There have long been disputes between the two countries regarding certain territories.
Ms. Omar, in response to the criticism, said the viral translation of her speech was “not only slanted but completely off, but I wouldn’t expect more from these propagandists.”
“I pray for them and their sanity,” she wrote on X.
The video of Ms. Omar received backlash from politicians, including Somaliland Ambassador Rhoda Elmi, who said the speech was “regrettably unbecoming” and “lacking in common decency.”
“We hope the House leadership and her caucus will take note of her public conduct, unbecoming a United States Congressman nor representative of the august house she serves in,” Ms. Elmi wrote on X Sunday.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, called Ms. Omar a “terrorist sympathizer.”
“She flaunts using her position as congresswoman to protect Somalia’s border while our border is invaded by MILLIONS of illegals who are a danger to America,” the Georgia Republican wrote on X. “These people hate America and they’re so emboldened by the Democrats’ disdain for our country, they’re not even trying to hide it anymore.”
Ms. Omar, a member of Congress’ so-called far-left “Squad” has been called out for her stances on issues before, including most recently the war between Israel and Hamas.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.