President’s Comments Stir Praise From Allies and Concern From Critics
President Donald Trump on Tuesday used demeaning language about Somali immigrants during a televised White House cabinet meeting, calling some people in Minnesota "garbage" and saying he wanted them sent "back to where they came from." The remarks followed reporting of alleged government fraud in parts of Minnesota’s Somali community.
Administration Response
Inside the meeting, Vice President J.D. Vance was seen banging the table in apparent agreement, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the remarks as "amazing" and an "epic moment." White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the president, saying he was highlighting problems she characterized as caused by "radical Somali migrants."
Investigations and Policy Context
The comments coincided with Treasury Department inquiries into allegations that federal funds in Minnesota may have been diverted to the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, a probe Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his agency is pursuing. The episode comes during a broader tightening of immigration rules by the administration, including a recent pause on processing applicants from 19 non‑European countries.
"Racism is no longer a dog whistle in America. We’re dehumanizing and targeting people," said LaTosha Brown, co‑founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, reflecting civil‑rights concerns about the public normalization of demeaning language toward minority communities.
Reactions From Lawmakers, Academics and Communities
Many Republican members of Congress remained publicly silent. Democrats, civil‑rights groups and academics condemned the language as xenophobic and dangerous. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned that such rhetoric could be exploited by extremist groups abroad to stoke anti‑American sentiment.
"Using the presidential bully pulpit to deliver racist commentary is absolutely unique in the modern era," said Alvin Tillery, a political science professor at Northwestern University. "They never went anywhere near this kind of hateful rhetoric targeting communities of color or minority groups."
Members of Minnesota’s Somali community said the remarks increased fear for their safety. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR‑Minnesota, told Reuters that many community members — including some who voted for Trump — are now worried about more than immigration enforcement.
Background And Broader Impacts
Trump has a long record of racially charged rhetoric and policies targeting immigrants, from the baseless "birther" conspiracy about President Barack Obama to strict refugee and immigration limits. Civil‑rights advocates point to past episodes in which inflammatory comments led to spikes in threats and community displacement, citing a wave of threats after last year’s debate remarks about Haitian migrants.
Reuters/Ipsos polling cited in recent weeks shows Trump’s net approval on immigration dipped from +7 in January to -10 by mid‑November, although immigration remains a politically potent issue for his supporters.
Trump also targeted Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota during the episode, repeating calls that she be expelled despite her status as a naturalized U.S. citizen and former Somali refugee. Critics say this fits a pattern of bigoted, xenophobic and Islamophobic attacks against Black and Muslim public figures.
Reporting: This summary is based on reporting by Bianca Flowers, James Oliphant, David Hood‑Nuño and Joseph Ax, with additional contributions by JC Whittington and Andy Sullivan; writing and editing by Reuters staff.
