Former United States President Barack Obama has accused the administration of President Donald Trump of targeting Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar because of her political views, warning that such actions could undermine democratic principles in the United States.
In a statement posted on his X account, Obama said no government should use its authority to single out individuals on the basis of their political beliefs or public comments.
“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,” Obama stated.
The former president alleged that efforts by federal authorities to investigate and deport Omar amounted to an abuse of government power and represented a threat to democratic norms.
According to Obama, Omar arrived in the United States with her father at age 12 and later obtained citizenship through her father’s naturalisation when she was still a minor. He noted that she went on to graduate from college, work as a community organiser and become the first Somali-American woman elected to Congress.
Obama argued that Omar’s outspoken criticism of Trump had made her a frequent target of the president and his supporters.
He further claimed that federal authorities were seeking to revoke her citizenship and deport her based on allegations that she was already 18 years old when her father became a naturalised citizen, a claim he described as unsubstantiated.
The former president also alleged that federal agents had conducted searches and seized personal records in an effort to gather evidence to support the case.
Obama compared the matter to previous actions taken against individuals perceived as political opponents of the administration, including public officials and former government leaders. He said several of those cases either stalled or were dismissed because of insufficient legal grounds.
While suggesting that Omar’s case could face similar legal challenges, Obama argued that the process itself had already disrupted her work as a lawmaker by forcing her to devote time and resources to defending herself.
Obama Warns Against Normalising Political Intimidation
Obama said the issue should concern all Americans regardless of their political affiliations or opinions about Omar.
“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,” he said.
He warned that allowing such actions to become commonplace could create a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
“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,” Obama added.
Omar, who represents Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives, has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics. The dispute adds to ongoing political tensions surrounding immigration, citizenship, and the use of federal authority in the United States.
