Minnesota Republican Rep. Tom Emmer was asked directly if he agreed with President Trump's assessment that the thousands of Somalians he represents are “trash.” He couldn't give a straight answer.
“Mr. Emmer, do you agree with President Trump who says[s] Are the 5,000 Somalis in your Saint-Cloud neighborhood trash?” Pablo Manriques from Migrant Insider asked Emmer as he walked down the hallway.
The Republican majority whip provided a weak political response.
“I think President Trump has raised an issue that we have been trying to raise for almost three years,” he responded. “The press refuses to cover what is happening right in front of them…”
“Donald Trump said Somalis are trash, that’s what I’m asking you,” Manriquez responded.
“If you would let me finish, I would be happy to answer your question,” Emmer said. “But apparently you want to argue.”
“Well, it's either yes or no.”
“Maybe you can find someone else to argue with. Because I'm telling you, not all Somalis are bad…”
“Thank you.”
“90 percent…of the crimes charged are committed by the Somali community, and there is nothing wrong and nothing racist in naming the crime.”
.@PabloReports: Do you agree with President Trump that the Somalis in your area are trash?
Emmer: I think President Trump raised the issue…
PabloReports: Donald Trump said it was trash, that's what I'm asking you […] Is it yes or no… pic.twitter.com/CsRO9MJlJS
– Akin (@acyn) December 16, 2025
There is no evidence that 90 per cent of crimes in Emmer County are committed by Somalis. Perhaps Emmer was trying to turn to scandal in Minnesota, where more than $1 billion in taxpayer dollars was stolen from the state's social services system. Federal prosecutors say nearly all of the perpetrators were from Minnesota's Somali community. To date, the prosecutor's office has convicted 59 people. There are approximately 80,000 Somali Americans living in Minnesota.
Trump has done much more than just “call it out on crime.” He slandered an entire group of people simply based on their background, and that's what he made a career out of.
“When you look at what [Minnesota Governor Walz has] done with Somalia, which is barely a country… they have nothing, they just run around killing each other.” Trump said earlier this month. “I hear [Somalians] robbed this state of billions of dollars… I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you. Some people will say, “Oh, that’s not politically correct.” I don't care. I don't want them in our country. Their country is not good for a reason. Their country stinks and we don’t want them in our country.”
“We are going down the wrong path if we continue to bring trash into our country. Ilhan Omar is trash. Her friends are trash… When they come from hell and complain and do nothing but be a bitch? We don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix this.”
