Former President Barack Obama issued a forceful denunciation of the Trump administration's legal pursuit of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar over suspicions she fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship decades ago, an allegation the Minnesota lawmaker has called "disgusting lies."
Why it matters: Obama — who faced false claims for years from Donald Trump that he wasn't an American citizen — is selective about when he weighs in on political issues or the president. His decision to speak out reflects his view that the DOJ raid on Omar's home last week was a betrayal of American values.
What he's saying: "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 wrote on X.
- "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."
Driving the news: Federal agents raided Omar's Washington home Monday, seizing her phone as part of an investigation into whether she or her late father provided false information on immigration paperwork 26 years ago.
- The Wall Street Journal reported the administration aims to build "a case to strip her of her U.S. citizenship and ultimately deport her."
- Omar arrived in the U.S. from Somalia in 1995 as a child. She became a citizen through her father's naturalization in 2000 when records indicate she was 17.
- But investigators are seeking evidence that she was a year older and therefore not automatically eligible for citizenship.
Flashback: The first Trump administration reviewed similar allegations in 2019, including questions about her birth date and her father's immigration, but found insufficient evidence to pursue a full investigation, the Washington Post reported.
- The allegation gained attention through a viral claim on social media, according to the Post.
The other side: Omar has denounced the investigation as a witch hunt meant to intimidate one of Trump's fiercest critics in Congress.
- Democrats have called it an abuse of power — especially just weeks before an election.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro also said her office was investigating Omar's financial disclosures, despite a congressional watchdog's recommendation last month to dismiss allegations of misconduct related to the filings.
Zoom in: Obama's more than 400-word statement was a full-throated denunciation of the Trump administration.
- "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 criticize the president. And it's not the first time this has happened," he wrote.
- He added, "In those cases, the prosecutions either stalled or were dismissed for having no basis in law, and the same is likely to happen in this case. But not before Congresswoman Omar's life has been turned upside down, her legal bills have piled up, and she's been forced to spend time fighting unsubstantiated charges instead of serving the people of Minnesota."