Opinion: The Dimensions of Organized Smear Campaigns Against Somali Americans

In recent times, Somali Americans have been subjected to a sustained smear campaign portraying them as a burden on American society, hostile to American culture and values. This campaign began around the re-election of Donald Trump, now more than a year ago. Trump, who since his first term has been accustomed to insulting African peoples, has recently targeted Somalis in a particularly discriminatory manner. On multiple occasions, he has described them using degrading language, calling them “garbage,” accusing them of corruption, labeling them pirates, saying they come from the worst country in the world, and claiming they contribute nothing to American society, among other insults.

Trump has also repeatedly insulted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota’s Somali community. He has referred to her as garbage, said she deserves to be deported from the United States, labeled her a thief, and even called her a “bitch.”

This campaign of demonization against Somalis and Ilhan Omar is being driven not only by Trump but also by Republican politicians, wealthy donors, and right-wing media figures. For example, Tucker Carlson—who has recently emerged as a leading figure in the MAGA movement—broadcast a video on December 18, 2025, lasting one hour and eighteen minutes. In this video, Carlson elaborated on what he claimed was a “Somali invasion” of America. He argued that Somalis in Minnesota refuse to integrate into American society, deliberately isolate themselves, and that most of them do not even speak English. He also accused Ilhan Omar of disloyalty to the oath she took to protect U.S. interests and sovereignty, citing past remarks she made in Somali forums, such as referring to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as “our president.”

The campaign against Somali Americans intensified further when Nick Shirley, a MAGA-aligned YouTuber, released a propaganda video targeting Somalis in Minnesota. Shirley claimed to have investigated Somali-run childcare centers. His 43-minute video, titled “I Investigated Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal,” went viral—especially on X (formerly Twitter)—where it garnered over 138 million views. Prominent Republican figures such as JD Vance and Elon Musk amplified the video. Numerous short clips, images, and cartoons derived from the video further fueled public discussion and controversy.

In the video, Nick Shirley claimed to have exposed a fraud network allegedly operated by some Somali childcare providers in Minnesota. He alleged that these centers were fraudulently collecting government funds by submitting fake children’s names, basing his claim largely on the fact that he did not see children present during his filming. The video shows Shirley and another individual visiting several centers—some of which were closed at the time, while others refused to allow him inside. At the end of the video, Shirley placed responsibility for any wrongdoing or negligence on the Minnesota state government.

One of the more absurd elements that drew public reaction was a sign at one of the centers reading “Quality Learning Center,” with the letter “n” missing from the word “Learning” in the original sign. Racists and opportunists seized on this spelling mistake as supposed “proof” of Somali fraud.

To date, no court has substantiated the allegations made by Nick Shirley. On the contrary, Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families stated that preliminary investigations confirmed that ten of the centers featured in the video were operating normally, except for one that happened to be closed that day. The department emphasized that the video contained unverified allegations and could be misleading. Additionally, WCCO-TV, a Minnesota-based television station, conducted its own investigation and debunked several of Shirley’s claims.

Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appeared to react hastily, suspending federal funding for childcare programs in Minnesota.

During his year in office, the Trump administration has taken several actions directly harming Somalis, both inside and outside the United States. Among the earliest was the shutdown of USAID, the largest donor to Somalia. The administration also added Somalia to the list of countries barred from entering the U.S. It revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants, a designation that had allowed them to remain in the U.S. and protected them from deportation. Now, Trump and his allies are attempting to escalate accusations further by alleging that Somali Americans are financing Al-Shabaab.

On December 2, 2025, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on X that his department would investigate claims that, during the Biden administration and under Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota taxpayer funds were sent to Al-Shabaab. Since late November 2025, right-wing groups have also circulated a propaganda report published by the conservative magazine City Journal, titled “The Largest Funder of Al-Shabaab Is the Minnesota Taxpayer.”

The Democratic Party, which has consistently supported Somali Americans, strongly rejected these false claims rooted in racism and misinformation. Minnesota’s governor responded by saying, in essence, that it is wrong to paint an entire community with one brush and endanger it without evidence. Former Minnesota Attorney General Andy Lugar, who served under Obama and Biden, echoed this view, emphasizing that Somalis convicted in the “Feeding Our Future” fraud case were motivated by personal enrichment, not by financing a terrorist organization.

Just as not all Somali Minnesotans are criminals, they are also not all innocent. It is an undeniable fact that some Somalis in Minnesota have been involved in corruption cases. These include the COVID-era “Feeding Our Future” scandal, in which $250 million was stolen and 62 individuals—mostly Somali—have been convicted so far. In 2025, two Somali individuals were convicted of stealing funds from an autism care program. There are also ongoing cases involving alleged misuse of funds from the “Housing Stabilization Services” program. More cases may emerge in the future.

However, corruption involving taxpayer money is not unique to Somalis or to Minnesota. It is widespread across the United States and involves people of many ethnic backgrounds. Examples include the Karnezis Brothers PPP loan scam in Arizona ($109 million), COVID-testing fraud in Illinois ($83 million), fake PPP loan schemes by recycling companies in Texas ($53 million), and a PPP fraud case in California ($27 million)—none of which involved Somalis.

On January 2, 2026, The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece titled “Minnesota Isn’t the Only Magnet for Welfare Malfeasance.” The article detailed corruption within New York City and State government, highlighting cases such as former Mayor Eric Adams awarding a $432 million no-bid contract to DocGo for migrant housing, despite the company’s lack of experience. Investigators later found that $11 million out of $13.8 million spent in two months was unaccounted for, yet Adams allowed the contract to continue. The article also cited findings that all 51 agencies contracted by the mayor’s office committed at least one violation, and 80% committed at least three. Governor Kathy Hochul was also criticized for awarding a $600 million contract to a company owned by a donor to her campaign without competitive bidding.

The situation can be summed up by a Somali proverb from Mogadishu: “All chickens eat filth, but their necks are different lengths.”

So why are Republican politicians and media fixated on Somali American corruption? Pro-Democratic media argue that this campaign is politically motivated. Minnesota’s gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2026, and Republicans aim to wrest control of the state from Democrats, who have governed since 2011. Smearing Somalis is seen as a way to undermine support for Democratic leaders like Tim Walz, though he announced on January 5, 2026, that he will not seek a third term.

Additionally, congressional midterm elections are approaching, making Somali demonization part of a broader election strategy. It may also serve to distract the public from other controversies, such as the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and debates over Israeli influence in U.S. politics following the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Trump and his allies have targeted Somali Americans—a community comprising less than 0.08% of the U.S. population—because they are politically vulnerable and lack backing from a powerful state. As the saying goes, they are “poor people easy to ride over.” Somalis have become a convenient scapegoat, used to conceal policy failures and to signal to Trump’s base that promises to curb immigration are being fulfilled.

In conclusion, Somalis in Somalia and across the diaspora are already burdened with their own struggles, and there is little they can materially do for Somali Americans. At the very least, however, they can help counter the racist and hateful social-media campaigns aimed at maligning the Somali people.