Washington, Oct 23 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has demanded the immediate resignation of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, accusing her of using a false name to enter Congress and alleging fraud over her identity and previous marriage.
The extraordinary demand followed reports that a federal court filing identified the Minnesota lawmaker by another name, reviving longstanding allegations about her marriage to a man whom critics claim is her brother.
Omar has strongly denied the allegations. Her office has rejected Trump’s claims as false and politically motivated.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that Omar’s actual name was Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, rather than Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, the name under which she was elected to the House of Representatives.
“Therefore, because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must immediately resign from Congress,” Trump wrote.
He also called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to take action.
“Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat,” Trump said.
The President went further, claiming that Omar had admitted to fraud and could no longer legally serve in Congress.
The controversy intensified after a federal court filing submitted on Wednesday by the office of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro identified the congresswoman as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.”
According to Newsweek, the filing concerned efforts to keep materials sealed in connection with a federal search warrant involving Omar’s Washington residence.
Trump also raised the allegations during a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday.
“She used a fake name to be sworn in. I assume she must immediately have to resign from Congress,” he told supporters.
He then declared: “The Republicans have just picked up a seat in the House.”
Omar’s spokesperson rejected the accusations.
“This is completely false. Ilhan Omar is her real name,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The spokesperson also described the allegations as a “desperate smear” and criticised media organisations for continuing to “give this lie oxygen.”
The dispute centres partly on Omar’s former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom critics have repeatedly alleged is her biological brother.
During an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes on Wednesday, Omar rejected the allegations and questioned the credibility of those advancing them.
Asked whether she was related to Elmi, she replied: “Not to my knowledge.”
Conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly added another dimension to the controversy on Friday, claiming that federal investigators apparently possessed DNA evidence concerning Omar’s former marriage.
“The Justice Department apparently has DNA evidence that proves she married her brother to get him a Green Card,” O’Reilly wrote.
His claim was not accompanied by publicly presented DNA findings in the supplied material.
O’Reilly nevertheless urged caution.
“We need to let this play out and see where the facts lead,” he wrote.
He added: “I still believe in due process.”
Omar, who was born in Somalia, became an American citizen at 17 when her father was naturalised in 2000, according to the supplied reports.
She is among the most prominent progressive Democrats in Congress and has frequently clashed with Trump over immigration, race and American politics.
Under the US Constitution, removing a sitting House member requires a two-thirds vote of the chamber.
–IANS
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