“Somalia Is Not Even A Country”: Breaking Down Trump’s Latest Rhetoric on the Horn of Africa

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has drawn a new line in his administration’s escalating conflict with the Somali-American community, declaring in a White House press briefing that “Somalia is not even a country” while defending his decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of refugees.

The remarks, delivered on January 20, 2026—marking exactly one year since his return to the Oval Office—represent a significant rhetorical shift, moving from criticisms of immigration policy to questioning the sovereignty of the nation itself.  

“Somalia is not even a country,” President Trump told reporters, dismissing concerns about deporting individuals to the unstable region. “They don’t have anything that resembles a country. We are sending them back to help build one, but they can’t stay here and complain.”  

The “Not A Country” Doctrine

The President’s comment appears to be the justification for a series of aggressive policy rollouts this month. By framing Somalia as a non-state entity, the administration is pushing back against international norms that typically prevent deportations to active war zones.

This rhetoric coincides with the State Department’s announcement of a visa pause for nationals from “high-risk” countries, including Somalia, effective January 21. Officials argue that without a functioning government to vet applicants, the U.S. cannot safely process visas—a stance that critics argue contradicts the administration’s simultaneous push to deport people back to that same environment.  

Attacks on Rep. Omar and Alleged Fraud

Following the briefing, President Trump took to Truth Social to target Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and the Somali community in Minnesota, which has been the epicenter of recent ICE raids and protests.  

“There is 19 Billion Dollars in Minnesota Somalia Fraud,” the President wrote, amplifying unverified claims of massive financial misconduct. He directed his ire personally at Omar, writing, “Fake ‘Congresswoman’ Ilhan Omar… knows everything there is to know. She should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia.”  

The figure of $19 billion appears to be a drastic inflation of previously debunked claims regarding child nutrition program fraud, which state prosecutors have already addressed.

Minnesota on Edge

The rhetoric has landed with explosive force in Minnesota, where tensions were already high following the fatal shooting of a civilian, Renee Good, by an ICE agent during a raid earlier this week. The incident has sparked days of protests in Minneapolis, with demonstrators clashing with federal law enforcement.  

Governor Tim Walz has called for calm but sharply criticized the President’s language. “Denying the existence of a nation to justify cruelty against its people is a new low,” Walz said in a statement Tuesday night. “These are Minnesotans, and they are being used as political props.”

The March 17 Deadline

The verbal escalations serve as a prelude to a hard deadline: March 17, 2026. This is the date the Department of Homeland Security has set for the expiration of TPS for Somalia. After this date, thousands of Somali nationals who have lived in the U.S. legally for years will lose their protection from deportation.  

Immigration attorneys are scrambling to file emergency motions, arguing that the President’s own admission that Somalia “is not a country” proves it is too dangerous for returns.

“If the President believes there is no country there,” said Abdi Warsame, a community organizer in Minneapolis, “then where exactly is he sending people? Into the void?”