President Donald Trump is insisting that he had nothing to do with the federal investigation into Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, but his attempt to distance himself from the case comes with a complication that is difficult to ignore: for years, he has publicly attacked the Minnesota congresswoman, questioned her loyalty to the United States and repeatedly suggested that she should leave the country. His hostility does not prove that he had any role in the investigation, but it does make his latest remarks particularly striking, especially as Omar faces renewed scrutiny over allegations connected to her immigration history.

Multiple federal agents with reporters in tow searched Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on October 12 as part of an investigation into possible immigration fraud involving paperwork her late father completed when she was a child. The search was carried out under a court-approved warrant, bringing the investigation into sharper focus just weeks before the November midterm elections.

Trump Calls Omar ‘Totally Crooked’ While Denying Involvement

When asked about the investigation, Trump made little effort to conceal his personal feelings about Omar, even as he tried to make clear that the case was not his responsibility.

“I understand that they’re looking at her very carefully. I’ve always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said.

He continued with another blunt assessment, adding, “I think she’s a terrible person, but that’s really up to the DOJ, I have nothing to do with it.”

The comments are notable because Trump could have simply referred questions to the Department of Justice, but instead chose to repeat his criticism of Omar while insisting that federal investigators were acting independently of him. His statements do not establish that he directed the investigation or influenced the agents involved, although his long history of publicly attacking the congresswoman is likely to keep questions about political pressure in the conversation.

The investigation has reportedly extended beyond the search of Omar’s home, with federal authorities said to have seized her cellphone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including subpoenas involving relatives, while also examining questions surrounding her financial disclosures.

Omar has denied wrongdoing and accused Trump of targeting her through what she describes as baseless allegations and smear campaigns, vowing to continue her political work despite the mounting scrutiny. At the same time, the existence of an investigation, a search warrant or the seizure of personal property does not establish that a crime has been committed, and any allegations against her would still need to be supported by evidence.

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The Old Allegations That Refuse to Disappear

The investigation has also revived longstanding questions about Omar’s immigration history, including discrepancies in records that have listed her birth year as either 1981 or 1982. Her team has previously pointed to the difficulties of documenting family history after fleeing war, including the absence of a birth certificate.

Another allegation that has followed Omar for years concerns claims that she married her brother to help him obtain immigration status, an accusation she has denied. Its repeated appearance in political debates does not make it proven, and any attempt to establish wrongdoing would require evidence rather than simply repeating a claim that has circulated for years.

Nevertheless, these allegations have become deeply entangled with the political battle surrounding Omar, whose background has repeatedly been invoked by Trump and other administration figures as they attack her. That makes it particularly important to distinguish between legitimate investigative questions and political rhetoric, especially when the allegations involve a sitting member of Congress who has become a prominent opponent of the president.

Could Omar Actually Face Deportation?

The stakes could become considerably higher if investigators establish evidence of immigration fraud, with administration officials suggesting that deportation could be considered if authorities prove that someone obtained citizenship or immigration status unlawfully.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has previously said, “If we can prove that you shouldn’t have been here in the first place, we’ll deport you.”

For Omar, a naturalized American citizen who has served in Congress since 2019, such statements inevitably raise questions about what the investigation could mean for her future. However, deportation would not automatically follow from a disputed birth year, an old allegation or the opening of a criminal investigation, and any effort to challenge her citizenship would have to proceed under the applicable law.

In other words, the political rhetoric may be dramatic, but the legal questions are considerably more complicated.

Years of Attacks Make Trump’s Denial More Complicated

Trump’s insistence that he had nothing to do with the investigation comes against a long history of public attacks on Omar, including previous demands that she leave the United States and broader criticism of Somalia and Somali immigrants that has repeatedly brought the congresswoman into the spotlight.

At a recent event, a crowd chanted “Deport, deport” as Trump attacked Omar and discussed immigration. Vice President JD Vance has also previously accused her of immigration fraud, an allegation she has denied, and has discussed the administration’s interest in investigating her.

With the midterm elections approaching and Ilhan Omar seeking another term in Congress, the timing of the search has added to the political tension. Any investigation involving a prominent politician so close to an election is likely to raise questions and attract scrutiny, although the timing alone does not prove that the investigation is politically motivated.

Trump’s public attacks do not establish that he ordered the search, just as his denial does not independently answer every question about the broader circumstances surrounding the investigation. Those questions will have to be addressed through evidence, official records and the legal process rather than assumptions about what the president may have wanted.

For now, the investigation remains unresolved, and its eventual outcome will depend on what authorities can actually establish. But as Trump continues to describe Omar as “totally crooked” while insisting that he has nothing to do with the case, the contradiction at the center of the political controversy is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.