Trump says Somalia is a ‘fourth world country’

President Donald Trump sparked widespread controversy on 16 March 2026 by referring to Somalia as a “fourth world nation” during remarks in the Oval Office, while reviving long-standing unsubstantiated allegations against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.

Trump, speaking to reporters, painted a dire picture of the East African nation. “Somalia is a third-world, maybe a fourth-world nation. One of the worst, one of the most dangerous,” he said. “They don’t have anything, they don’t have council, they don’t have government, they don’t have police, they shoot each other all over the place.”

He went on to claim, without offering evidence, that Somali nationals in the United States were responsible for stealing USD 19 billion. “They come here, and they steal US$19 billion, that is crazy,” Trump stated.

The comments quickly drew attention amid the administration’s focus on immigration enforcement and recent policy shifts affecting Somali communities.

Renewed attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar

Trump also repeated discredited claims about Omar’s personal life and immigration history. “And Ilhan Omar, she married her brother, supposedly. I mean, there is a lot of documentation. That means she is here illegally and she is a Congresswoman,” he said.

He called her “one of the ring leaders here” and “bad news, really bad news,” asserting she is “so bad for our country.”

Omar, who fled Somalia as a child refugee before becoming a U.S. citizen and winning election to Congress, has repeatedly denied the allegations as baseless and politically motivated smears. In response to the latest remarks, she issued a sharp rebuke.

“The most disturbing part of his unhinged comments is how comfortable he is in telling the world how stupid he and his followers are,” Omar said. She referenced past controversies involving Trump, adding that such rhetoric is “expected from a man who regularly and publicly fantasised about sleeping with his own daughter and is clearly implicated in the worst paedophile cover-up case.”

The exchange underscores the enduring tension between Trump and Omar, a vocal critic of his policies on immigration and foreign affairs.

History of feud and broader context

The feud traces back to 2019, when Trump urged Omar and other congresswomen of color to “go back” to the countries they came from — a comment widely condemned as racist, even though all were U.S. citizens. The episode drew bipartisan criticism at the time.

Omar, a leader in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, has frequently challenged Trump’s approach to civil rights, Muslim communities and U.S. foreign policy in the Horn of Africa.

While Somalia faces persistent security threats from al-Shabab militants and humanitarian crises, the country has recorded incremental advances in recent years. Under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the federal government has bolstered institutions, expanded security operations with international support and pursued economic reforms.

Observers acknowledge significant hurdles remain, including instability in rural areas and displacement, but note gains in governance and counterterrorism.

Trump’s remarks come as his administration weighs immigration policies, including potential changes to protections for certain nationalities.

AGENCIES