Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota lashed out at President Donald Trump on Friday, calling him a 'creep' and accusing him of weaponizing the Department of Justice after Trump demanded her resignation from Congress. The confrontation followed a federal court filing that identified Omar by the name 'Ilhan Nur Said Elmi' — her birth name — alongside the alternative name 'Ilhan Abdullahi Omar,' which she has used publicly throughout her political career.
Trump made his demand for Omar's resignation on Thursday during a campaign rally in Iowa, claiming that a 'fake name' used to enter Congress amounted to fraud. 'It was just revealed just a little while ago that Ilhan Omar, not a person I've ever been particularly fond of, that her name is not Ilhan Omar, the one that she used to get elected and sworn in to Congress,' Trump said, adding that she 'used a fake name to be sworn in' and 'must immediately have to resign from Congress.' The president also revived longstanding, unproven allegations that Omar's former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, was her biological brother — claims Omar has repeatedly denied.
Omar responded Friday morning on X (formerly Twitter) with sharp criticism. 'The pedophile protection party's president is laundering right-wing conspiracy theories through the most corrupt DOJ in American history,' she wrote. 'Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let's make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar.' She also directed a jab at Vice President JD Vance, saying he should 'focus on what your VP's real name is.'
Omar's office has flatly disputed the controversy, insisting that 'Ilhan Omar is her real name' and characterizing reports of a name discrepancy as a 'desperate smear.' In an interview with MS NOW on Wednesday, when asked whether there was any familial relationship between her and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, Omar answered, 'Not to my knowledge.' Her spokesperson later clarified that the answer was sarcastic and reiterated that Omar has 'repeatedly and unequivocally' denied allegations of a familial relationship. Legal experts have noted that the abbreviation 'a/k/a' (also known as) in the court filing does not, by itself, establish fraud or prove that Omar used a false identity to enter Congress.
The court filing in question relates to a federal investigation into potential immigration fraud involving Omar's family. Federal agents searched Omar's Washington residence on October 12, seizing 17 items including phones, notebooks, and a passport. Omar's sister has also been questioned as part of the investigation, according to reports. Investigators are examining whether Omar or her father made false statements on immigration paperwork. No charges have been filed against Omar, and she has stated she is 'confident in the fact that I didn't do anything wrong.'
Omar legally married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in Minnesota in February 2009, and the couple divorced under Islamic tradition in 2011, though their legal divorce was finalized in 2017. She subsequently married Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in January 2018; they later divorced. The allegation that her first husband was her brother has circulated among conservative commentators since at least 2016.
The controversy has intensified Omar's legal and political pressures. She announced plans to move out of her Washington residence, citing safety concerns stemming from the federal investigation. Trump has argued that the naming in the court filing, combined with the brother allegation, disqualifies Omar from continuing to serve in Congress, while Omar's representatives maintain that all allegations lack legal foundation and represent a coordinated political attack.
