The recent decision by the Trump administration to cut $1.5 billion in aid to the Mogadishu regime exposed the deep financial entanglements between U.S. foreign policy and the Somali government—entanglements that owe much to the influence of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. For years, Omar has worked behind the scenes to funnel American taxpayer dollars into Somalia, directly benefiting the corrupt Mogadishu administration while neglecting the interests of her own constituents in Minnesota.
During the Biden-Harris administration, Omar leveraged her political clout to ensure a steady flow of funds to the Somali government, which Transparency International consistently ranks as one of the most corrupt in the world. Despite this, Omar pushed for continued U.S. taxpayer funding of the Somali National Army, including the elite Danab forces, a unit directly tied to the unstable Mogadishu leadership.
A glaring question arises: Why was the United States funding the salaries of Somali soldiers in the first place? The answer is simple—Ilhan Omar’s lobbying efforts ensured the U.S. was deeply entangled in Somali domestic affairs, financing an administration riddled with corruption and inefficiency. Omar has even been caught openly admitting that her role in Congress is to serve Somalia’s interests, rather than those of the American people who elected her.
Keeping the ‘Security Threat’ Narrative Alive
Omar not only secured billions for Somalia but also played a role in perpetuating instability in the region. Her advocacy for continued military aid and U.S. intervention emboldened the Mogadishu administration to sustain a false security crisis, ensuring that American funds would keep flowing. This pattern of dependency has kept Somalia in a perpetual cycle of violence, as the government benefits from keeping the ‘terrorism threat’ narrative alive.
One clear example of Omar’s involvement in fueling instability was her role in the 2022 eruption of armed conflicts in the Sool region. Just a day after she flew out of nearby Garowe, Puntland of Somalia, armed violence erupted in Las Anod, Sool. Reports suggest that Omar brought necessary funds to initiate the Las Anod war, promising Mogadishu-backed militias that the U.S. would exert pressure on Somaliland to withdraw from a region historically under its governance. Her role in inciting division and supplying financial resources to destabilize Somaliland cannot be overlooked. Since then, Sool has become a haven for training terrorists, further complicating the already fragile security landscape.
Taking heart from her relative success in forcing the withdrawal of Somaliland forces from Sool, she allegedly started openly providing material and moral support to subverts in the United and elsewhere who openly called for ‘Jihad’ against Somaliland and its much-lauded law and order. Her backing extended from the individual to organizations and clan-based movements aiming to overturn the Horn of Africa political landscape, breaking it, instead, into clan states.
USAID’s Role in Funding Extremist Groups
Reports have surfaced linking USAID funding to Al-Shabaab, one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in Africa. During a U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee hearing on February 26, 2023, Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum, disclosed that U.S. foreign aid had directly benefited Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups. While the Biden administration justified these funds as counterterrorism and humanitarian aid, the reality is that a portion of this money ended up in the hands of terrorists.
Omar’s defense of USAID’s financial involvement in Somalia raises serious questions about where her loyalties truly lie. She has actively supported USAID’s operations, despite evidence that nearly $2.3 billion in U.S. tax dollars have been wasted on Somalia, with significant portions of these funds being misappropriated or funneled into criminal networks. The revelation that USAID’s funding ended up supporting Al-Shabaab should be a wake-up call to American policymakers.
Ilhan Omar’s Allegiance to Somalia Over America
Perhaps most concerning is Omar’s open admission of prioritizing Somalia over the United States. During protests against the Ethiopia-Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), she made it clear that she uses her congressional seat to serve the interests of the Mogadishu administration. Her remarks went viral, drawing widespread criticism from across the U.S. political spectrum.
This is a direct violation of the oath she took as a member of Congress, which requires allegiance to the United States, not a foreign government. Her actions have not only undermined American interests but have also emboldened the corrupt leaders of Mogadishu to persist in their exploitative practices.
Trump Was Right to Cut Aid
The Trump administration’s decision to halt $1.5 billion in aid to Somalia was a necessary step to prevent further misuse of American taxpayer money. These funds were being funneled into a corrupt system, sustaining a government that relies on perpetuating conflict to remain relevant on the global stage.
The U.S. has a long and troubled history in Somalia, dating back to funding the regime of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. Since then, every administration—Republican and Democrat alike—has justified military interventions under the guise of counterterrorism and humanitarian aid. However, as reports indicate, these interventions have done little to stabilize the country and have instead contributed to prolonged instability.
Ilhan Omar’s actions warrant serious scrutiny. Her influence over U.S. foreign policy has led to the reckless allocation of American funds, the emboldening of a corrupt Mogadishu regime, and the exacerbation of conflicts in the region. Moreover, her close alignment with Somali leaders—despite overwhelming evidence of their corruption—suggests a conflict of interest that should not be ignored.
American taxpayers deserve accountability. The U.S. must reassess its financial and military involvement in Somalia and ensure that future aid does not fall into the wrong hands. At the same time, elected officials like Ilhan Omar should be held responsible for their role in misallocating resources and compromising national interests for the benefit of foreign governments.
The time has come to put America first and end the cycle of wasteful foreign aid that enables corruption and instability abroad.
