Trump blames Somali immigrants for Minnesota crime
Trump is attacking Minnesota's Somali community ahead of the midterms, a move critics call racist scapegoating aimed at driving out his base.
- Trump posted that Minnesota is being "taken over" by Somali immigrants, claimed murder and mayhem across the state, and urged residents to fight back while offering federal help.
- The trigger was a handful of shootings tied to Somali gangs, a terror plot charge at the Mall of America, and fraud cases in state programs — 82 arrests out of 107,000 Somalis in the area, and the biggest single fraud case involved a white woman.
- The timing points to politics: Trump's approval is near historic lows for a pre-midterm president, and Republican candidates from Texas to Georgia are distancing themselves from him.
- Republicans have little else to run on — prices are still high, wages flat, the Iran war is going badly, and his Canada tariffs hit Michigan and Minnesota directly.
- The "stealing from you" framing sits awkwardly next to the money flowing to donors, defense contractors, and Trump's own family during his term.
Outlook: Expect more immigration-focused attacks and a louder ICE presence on the streets between now and November.