Ilhan Omar is a Somali Congress member known for her political squaring off with Donald Trump. She was born in Somalia on October 4, 1982.
Her family's journey to the United States was marked by civil strife. At the age of eight, she and her family fled the civil war in Somalia.
Following their escape, she spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya. In 1997, her family eventually moved to Minneapolis. She is a mother of three.
Before entering politics, Omar built a career in public and community service. She was a Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and also served as a community educator at the University of Minnesota.
The political rift between Omar and Trump notably began in 2019. The tension escalated significantly in 2025 when Trump reportedly described Omar and Somali immigrants in general as "garbage".
