Obama accuses Trump of targeting Omar over political views

Former US president Barack Obama speaks during opening day of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 18, 2026. (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP)

A former United States President, Barack Obama, has accused President Donald Trump’s administration of targeting Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar because of her criticism of the president, describing the alleged move to deport her as an attack on American democracy.

Obama, in a post on his verified X handle on Sunday, said the government should not target individuals because of their political beliefs or statements, arguing that the administration’s actions against Omar violated a fundamental principle of American democracy.

“It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say. But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota,” he wrote.

Explaining Omar’s citizenship history, Obama said she arrived in the United States with her father when she was 12 and that her father became a naturalised citizen five years later.

According to the former president, Omar automatically became a naturalised citizen because she was 17 at the time, rather than 18, when she would have been required to apply separately.

Obama noted that Omar later graduated from college, worked as a community organiser, became the first Somali-American woman elected to public office in the United States and subsequently won a seat in Congress.

He said her position as one of the Trump administration’s fiercest critics had made her a frequent target of the president.

“Congresswoman Omar has been one of the Trump Administration’s fiercest critics, which has led the president to repeatedly single her out as someone who he believes does not belong in this country,” Obama stated.

The former president alleged that the administration was now attempting to deport Omar based on an unsubstantiated claim that she was 18 when her father became a naturalised citizen and, consequently, was not a US citizen.

• Trump blames immigration for France protests, urges border closure
• Trump paused Russia sanctions to ‘analyse’ impact on global economy
• Trump’s new press secretary exits days after her appointment

He further alleged that federal agents had raided her home, confiscated personal records and seized her phone in an effort to find evidence to support the claim.

“Think about that. The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticise the president,” Obama said.

He added that the alleged action against Omar was part of a broader pattern under Trump, accusing the Justice Department of pursuing individuals considered political enemies by the president.

Obama cited cases involving the Attorney General of New York, a former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of the Federal Reserve, saying prosecutions in such cases had stalled or been dismissed for lacking a legal basis.

He expressed confidence that the case against Omar would likely meet a similar outcome but warned that the process could cause significant personal and financial difficulties for the congresswoman.

According to him, the legal battle could leave Omar facing mounting legal bills and distract her from representing the people of Minnesota.

“The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views,” Obama said.

He warned that allowing such actions to become normalised could encourage future presidents, regardless of political affiliation, to target their opponents.

“Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same,” he added.