President Donald Trump is demanding that Rep. Ilhan Omar immediately resign from Congress, reviving longstanding allegations concerning her identity and marriage after a Justice Department court filing referenced the Minnesota Democrat by another name.
Writing on social media late Thursday, Trump asserted that the name used by the congresswoman to win election and take the oath of office was fraudulent. He pointed to a federal court filing connected to an immigration history investigation that used the name Ilhan Nur Said Elmi.
Trump also repeated an unsubstantiated allegation that Omar previously married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a claim the congresswoman has repeatedly denied. Directing his remarks at House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump contended that the Democratic Party had effectively surrendered Omar’s seat and argued that she could no longer legally serve in Congress.
Omar responded sharply on social media Friday, condemning the allegations as right-wing conspiracy theories and criticizing the administration. She maintained that her name has always been Ilhan Omar and accused the president of weaponizing the Justice Department to deflect from negative news coverage. She also made a pointed reference to Vice President JD Vance, whose birth name is James Donald Bowman.
The recent political clash follows a search of Omar’s Washington-area home earlier this month by federal agents as part of an ongoing investigation into potential immigration fraud. Federal authorities have not charged Omar with a crime, and the appearance of an alternative name in a court filing does not establish legal wrongdoing. In a subsequent interview, Omar expressed frustration over the investigation and indicated that she and her family plan to relocate from the searched residence.
From a constitutional standpoint, the president’s demand carries no independent legal force. Under the United States Constitution, the authority to expel a member rests exclusively with the House of Representatives, a process that requires a two-thirds majority vote. The latest exchange marks a continuation of years of political friction between Trump and Omar, who remains one of his most vocal critics in Congress.
