Opinion
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) blasted her colleague Ilhan Omar (D-MN) after a video surfaced online claiming that the “Squad” member had suggested that the United States government would “follow orders” from Somalians and “do what I tell them to do.”
The controversial comments appeared in video posted to YouTube and circulated on X replete with captions. It is important to note that the captions have not been verified. In the video, Omar is speaking to an audience in the Hyatt Hotel in Minneapolis in Somali.
“The US government will only do what Somalians in the US tell them to do,” Omar says according to the translation. “They will do what we want and nothing else.”
“They must follow our orders and that is how we will safeguard the interest of Somalia,” she allegedly adds. “We Somalians must have the confidence in ourselves that we call the shots in the US.”
Shocking video of @IlhanMN saying she’s making US Government take orders from Somalia:
“The US government will only do what Somalians in the US tell them to do. They will do what we want and nothing else. They must follow our orders and that is how we will safeguard the interest… pic.twitter.com/qIgIbufHTK
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 28, 2024
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It’s important to note that Somali wording is difficult to translate into English, with some phrases not having an exact fit. It’s also worth noting that Omar is reportedly speaking about U.S. policy regarding the Somaliland-Ethiopian Naval Base Agreement.
A larger clip of the Minnesota Democrat’s comments was circulated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of Somaliland. Thus ensuring that there is a bias to the translation, since Omar is criticizing Somaliland whom she reportedly referred to as “Somali imposters.”
Somaliland is a state in the Horn of Africa not recognized by any members of the United Nations currently.
Rhoda J Elmi, the Deputy Minister, said she was “shocked” by Omar’s remarks and accused the congresswoman of using “racist” rhetoric.
Omar’s speech seemingly vacillates between her own perspective and the perspective of Somalis, in general, speaking up for their rights by talking to their representative leaders. As a result, it’s difficult to pinpoint her exact wording.
The Somaliland Chronicle translates her comments as a more direct reference to her own power.
“The United States Government will do what I tell them to do about it,” they claim Omar said.
“The woman you sent to Congress is working day and night to protect your interests. She knows your plight and that of Somalia. I am as concerned about Somalia as you guys are,” she told the audience. “Together, we will protect the interests of Somalia.”
Also raising eyebrows was an alleged assertion that Somalis like herself are country first. Not the United States, but Somalia.
“There are areas of friction that led us to kill each other, but in reality, we are an organized society, brothers and sisters, people of the same blood, people who know they are Somalians first, Muslims second, who protect one another, come to each other’s aid and to the aid of other Muslims too,” she reportedly said.
RELATED: Ilhan Omar: My First Impression of America Was Disappointment
MGreene Criticizes The ‘Squad’ Member
Greene immediately criticized Omar over the alleged comments, calling her a “terrorist sympathizer,” a phrase that she has used before to describe her colleague, and noting her lack of mention that she is an American.
“Terrorist sympathizer Ilhan Omar in her own words: Somalian first. Muslim second. She never mentions America,” Greene wrote on social media. “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.”
“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,” she continued.
Omar also posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, stating that the translation of her comments is “not only slanted but completely off.”
Omar says in the video that her own “grasp of the Somali language is atrocious.”
The congresswoman often points to a misinterpretation when defending controversial remarks, most notably her widely reported anti-Semitic comments, when she compared the United States and Israeli military to the Taliban, and when dismissing 9/11 as an event in which “some people did something.”
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