Mogadishu, Somalia – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has countered recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Somalia lacks a functioning government.
During the Leadership and Innovation Forum, President Mohamud observed that many international observers continue to perceive Somalia through the prism of its historical challenges, overlooking recent advancements.
“Too many nations judge Somalia solely by its past without acknowledging today’s realities, the progress achieved, and the Somali people’s determination. I urge: let go of yesterday. The Somali nation has ascended; it has advanced,” President Mohamud stated.
Trump has recently escalated his comments regarding Somali immigrants in America, especially those residing in Minnesota. He has explicitly demanded stricter immigration enforcement against undocumented Somalis, creating a political confrontation with Representative Ilhan Omar. This exchange has exacerbated tensions between the Somali-American community and the administration.
The U.S. government, maintaining a substantial presence in Somalia’s security apparatus, has offered no official response to either leader’s statements. The American diplomatic mission in Mogadishu continues to represent one of Washington’s most important embassies in Africa. Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has similarly avoided issuing any formal reaction.
President Mohamud’s government has faced difficulties in removing Al-Shabaab militants from regions near the capital, with Mogadishu’s security remaining largely reliant on international forces spearheaded by the United States.
Diplomatic sources suggest growing American concern over Mohamud’s management of relationships with federal member states and opposition figures, especially concerning his unilateral electoral methods and constitutional amendments.
The President’s remarks coincide with Somalia commemorating over three decades since its central government’s dissolution, while the nation still lacks consensus on a unified electoral system. With 147 days left in his presidency, Mohamud has not proposed an election model based on broad agreement, sparking worries about political stability in the coming months.
