Trump Says Omar Must Resign After Filing Names Her Elmi

The latest:

President Trump told a Sioux City, Iowa, rally Thursday that the federal immigration fraud investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar is not looking good, and that he assumes she must immediately resign. He asserted the Minnesota Democrat used a fake name when sworn in. Omar has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and prosecutors have not announced charges.

Details:

• The filing: Prosecutors referred to the congresswoman as Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, in a filing submitted Wednesday in federal court in Washington, DC, according to the New York Post. The filing is tied to the ongoing federal immigration fraud probe.
• The name claim: A source familiar with the investigation told the Post that Omar is not the congresswoman’s real surname, and that she was born with the surname Elmi. That is the same surname as her ex-husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, who has long been rumored to be a blood relative.
• Trump’s demand: Trump asked rally-goers to inform the Speaker of the House that the Democratic Party had conceded Omar’s seat, claiming she had openly admitted to fraud and could no longer legally serve. He added that being sworn in under a false name would make it hard to remain.
• The denial: Asked directly on MS NOW on Wednesday whether she was related to her former husband, Omar answered: “Not to my knowledge.” Trump mocked the response at the rally, calling it among the worst political answers he had heard, and labeling her a scammer.
• Omar’s account: The congresswoman maintains she became a US citizen at 17 through her father, who was naturalized in 2000, five years after emigrating to the United States. She has denied any wrongdoing in the investigation. Her representatives did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.
• The raid: Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, DC, home last week as part of the immigration fraud investigation, according to the Post. No charges stemming from the search have been announced, and prosecutors have not set out a timeline for the probe.
• Earlier threat: Trump said Tuesday that Omar could go to jail if convicted of immigration fraud, adding that officials keep talking about deportation. He has been a longtime critic of the Minnesota Democrat, who remains a sitting member of Congress.
• Also at the rally: Trump announced his administration is using the Defense Production Act to release $150 million to expand American refining capacity for diesel and gasoline. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the funds would be used strategically and in partnership with private industry to bolster existing energy infrastructure.

Background:

Omar, elected in Minnesota’s 5th District, has faced years of Republican scrutiny over her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi and persistent allegations, which she rejects, that he is a blood relative. The matter resurfaced with last week’s federal search of her Washington home.

Between the lines:

Trump’s assertion that Omar has openly admitted to fraud goes beyond what has been established: the court filing lists an alternate surname, and the source account addresses her birth name, neither of which is an admission. Expulsion is also a House decision requiring a two-thirds vote, not something a party concedes, making the demand political rather than procedural.

What’s next

Watch whether prosecutors file charges following last week’s search, whether Omar issues a fuller account of her birth name, and whether any House Republican moves a resolution targeting her seat.