During a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday night, former President Donald Trump alleged that Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar used a "fake name" when she was sworn into Congress and called for her immediate resignation.
Trump informed Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who was in attendance, of his claim, suggesting that the House would gain a Republican seat. "So please inform our great Speaker of the House of Representatives... that the Democrat Party has just conceded her seat," Trump stated.
The former president's remarks stem from a Department of Justice filing that referred to Omar, 44, as "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi." Trump read this name to the crowd and declared, "Because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must immediately have to resign from Congress."
Trump also revisited past allegations that Omar had married her brother. "And the last name is, incredibly, also the exact last name as her brother ... the person that they say she married and had children with," he told supporters, referencing an interview where Omar responded to the question with "not to my knowledge."
Omar's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Minnesota Democrat has previously characterized investigations into her immigration paperwork as politically motivated and dismissed the marriage allegations as "insane."
The congresswoman stated that the allegations originated on a Somali blog and were amplified by conservative activists. She asserted that she does not recognize individuals who claim she introduced her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, as her sibling. Omar married Elmi in 2009 and divorced in 2017, and she has consistently denied claims that he is her brother.
Federal agents searched Omar's Washington, D.C., residence on October 12 as part of a criminal fraud investigation into her immigration documents. Omar described the operation as intrusive but polite, with agents seizing 17 items, including phones and notebooks. She accused the Trump administration of orchestrating the search as a political spectacle.
Federal investigators are examining whether false statements were made in immigration documents concerning Omar's birth date. Omar maintains she legally obtained U.S. citizenship at age 17 through her father, who became a naturalized citizen in 2000. She suggested the investigation's focus on documents completed by her deceased father was convenient for investigators.
Despite the ongoing legal and political scrutiny, Omar has stated her intention to remain in Congress, asserting that opponents resent her background and faith. She also addressed questions about her family's finances, characterizing herself as a working-class individual managing everyday expenses with her husband and four children.