Trump says Ilhan Omar ‘could also go to jail’

Tuesday in the Oval Office, a reporter asked whether Rep. Ilhan Omar could be deported “if there is a problem with Ilhan Omar’s marriage.” Trump: “Well, she could be. She could also go to jail. I mean, she could also go to jail.” Then the disclaimer: “This is just my opinion.” The opinion of the man whose Justice Department is running the case. No pressure.

The backstory: on 12 October federal agents searched Omar’s Washington home and took her phone. NBC News reports the possible charges include making false statements on immigration paperwork. No charges have been reported. The Washington Post reports Trump’s own officials combed through the same records in 2019 and didn’t find citizenship issues.

He wasn’t done. Somalia is “a real shithouse.” Somalis, he asked, “Do you know they have like a 98% unemployment rate?” PolitiFact checked his last version of that line, 92%, in February. It found Census Bureau 2024 estimates put labour force participation among Somalis in Minnesota aged 16 and over at about 72%, meaning roughly 28% aren’t working and aren’t looking for work. That’s the broadest “not working” number there is, and it’s still nowhere near 98. By our math, his figure has gone up six points since February. The data hasn’t.

To be fair to the tape, he closed with this: “I hope they treat her fairly, but I think she’s a very dishonest person.” A fair hearing, verdict pre-announced by the boss.