Mogadishu, Somalia – The federal Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, has categorically stated that Somalis will not tolerate being belittled following repeated derogatory remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump targeting people from the East African nation.
During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday intended to highlight his economic achievements, Trump criticized immigration from “Third World” nations.
“We continuously admit individuals from Somalia, countries that are essentially failed states, correct? They are filthy, dirty, disgusting, and plagued by criminal activity,” he stated.
“The sole skill they possess is attacking vessels,” he continued, referencing maritime piracy along Somalia’s coastline.
Just last week, President Trump referred to Somalis as “garbage” during a cabinet session, claiming they “simply wander around killing one another.”
In a written response to Reuters, the Somali defense minister advised Trump to concentrate on delivering his promises to American voters “instead of involving himself in matters concerning Somalia.”
Although acknowledging America’s military assistance in combating Al-Qaeda affiliated extremists within Somalia, he dismissed Trump’s negative portrayal of Somalis.
“The Somali people are globally recognized for their industriousness. They are celebrated for their perseverance when confronting challenges. They have endured numerous difficulties and adversaries, including those who question their very existence, murder them, and subject them to humiliation and insults,” he emphasized.
“They have conquered all these obstacles and endured,” Fiqi added.
Trump intensified his criticism of Somalis following the recent shooting incident in Washington that claimed the lives of two National Guard soldiers, prompting him to vow to halt immigration from less developed nations.
An Afghan citizen has been formally accused of murder in connection with the Washington shooting incident and has entered a plea of not guilty.
Trump, who has a history of employing racially and gender discriminatory language, has persistently demanded the expulsion of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Democratic representative and outspoken adversary who obtained U.S. citizenship after relocating from Somalia three decades ago.
