The essentials
Omar calls the brother marriage allegation 'insane'; Trump says her 'not to my knowledge' answer on her ex-husband is not good.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has called an allegation that she married her brother in 2009 for a green card 'insane' in an interview with MS NOW. The claim, which dates back roughly a decade, has been circulating in the current dispute.
Asked about a relationship with her ex-husband, Omar answered 'Not to my knowledge.' The couple, Omar and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, divorced on December 4, 2017.
The exact wording of the question and the full context of the exchange are not detailed in the available facts.
Omar has also issued a statement on X accusing the Trump administration of political targeting. President Trump, speaking in South Carolina, said her 'not to my knowledge' answer was not a good answer.
Other ways to read this story.
Alternative framings generated by SigNews. These are not independent sources or attributed quotations.
Omar Dismisses Brother Allegation as 'Insane' and Frames Probe as Targeting
Omar has rejected the allegation that she married her brother in 2009 for a green card, calling it 'insane' in an MS NOW interview. Her separate statement on X accuses the Trump administration of political targeting. When asked about her ex-husband, she said 'Not to my knowledge,' a response that places her personal history at the center of the exchange.
Trump Calls Omar's Ex-Husband Answer 'Not a Good Answer'
President Trump, speaking in South Carolina, said Omar's 'not to my knowledge' reply about a relationship with her ex-husband was not a good answer. The remark follows the decade-old brother marriage allegation, which Omar has rejected as 'insane.' The exchange shows how a hedged answer about personal history has drawn direct public criticism from the president.