Former United States President Barack Obama has accused President Donald Trump’s administration of targeting Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar because of her criticism of the president, describing the situation as a threat to American democracy.
Obama made the remarks in a statement published on his verified X account on Sunday, condemning the federal investigation into Omar’s immigration history and questioning whether the authorities were using their powers to intimidate a political opponent.
“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 wrote, alleging that the Trump administration was violating that principle in its handling of Omar’s case.
The controversy follows a search of Omar’s Washington, DC, residence by federal agents on 12 October as part of an investigation into possible irregularities in immigration and naturalisation documents dating back decades. Reports indicate that investigators are examining whether Omar or her late father provided false information during the immigration process.
Omar, who was born in Somalia and arrived in the United States as a child, became a naturalised US citizen in 2000. Obama argued that she automatically obtained citizenship when her father was naturalised because she was 17 at the time.
He questioned an allegation that Omar was actually 18 when her father became a citizen, saying the theory remained unsubstantiated.
Obama also pointed to what he described as a wider pattern of the Trump administration pursuing individuals it regards as political opponents, warning that such actions could undermine public confidence in the independence of federal institutions.
He said the investigation could impose significant personal and financial costs on Omar, diverting her attention from her responsibilities to the people she represents in Minnesota.
The former president warned that allowing the government to target people over their political views could establish a dangerous precedent that might affect Americans across party lines.
Trump, however, has denied responsibility for the investigation, saying the matter rests with the Justice Department. Omar has denied wrongdoing and described the scrutiny as politically motivated. No finding of guilt has been established in the case.
The dispute has intensified political tensions in Washington, with Democrats raising concerns about the use of federal investigative powers against a prominent critic of the president.
