Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar is facing backlash online after a video where she mistakenly referred to World War II as “World War 11” during a press conference has been circulating again.
Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, made this error while discussing the reintroduction of the “Non-Enemy Neighbor” law at a Democratic press event last year. The proposed bill, which did not pass, aimed to counter former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, specifically his use of the Alien Enemy Act.
In her remarks, Omar stated, “The last time the Alien Enemy Act was invoked, it was used to detain and deport German, Japanese, and Italian immigrants during World War 11,” promptly correcting herself by adding, “Oh, two,” with a laugh.
This gaffe resurfaced amidst increased scrutiny of her campaign, tied to a widespread federal fraud investigation into various businesses, mainly those serving Somali immigrant communities. The mispronunciation has drawn ridicule, including from Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, who remarked, “‘World War 11’…yeah, that was deadly.”
Lee continued to poke fun at Omar in another post, sharing her error alongside a clip where she described Trump voters as “stupid.” In that video, she expressed frustration about having “intelligent discussions” with such individuals, commenting on what she termed “American stupidity.”
The incident even caught the attention of Elon Musk, who simply posted a grimace emoji. A popular conservative account remarked on the situation, mentioning a local daycare alleged to be involved in fraud, which had humorously misspelled “Quality Learning Center” in its signage.
Chloe Cole, a conservative activist, expressed her amazement on social media about Omar’s blunder, stating it was remarkable learning quality. A conservative podcast host, Matt Walsh, humorously proposed that if we reached World War III, Omar might think it was “World War 111,” suggesting a lack of knowledge about Roman numerals.
Fox News Digital has reached out for comments from Omar regarding this matter.
The scrutiny comes as a federal investigation into major fraud in Minnesota escalates, with agents executing 22 search warrants, including on childcare facilities believed to be participating in the alleged wrongdoing. These raids occurred as part of a wider investigation targeting businesses largely owned by Somalis, particularly those that appear to have charged for childcare services not rendered.
Omar has typically criticized the investigation, claiming it harms her constituents and creates unnecessary disruption. In an earlier interview, she mentioned the administration’s mishandling of the situation has led to chaos and confusion, which is particularly unwelcome at this time when other serious issues need attention.
She concluded by expressing the need for cooperative solutions, emphasizing that they should avoid creating a climate of fear and confusion without resolution.
