Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota congresswoman who has frequently been the subject of politically charged rumors about her personal life, is back in the headlines after new attention fell on her former husband, Ahmed Elmi. A New York Post report says Elmi—whom Omar was legally married to from 2009 to 2017—has resurfaced on social media following years largely out of public view.
According to the report, Elmi, 40, now describes himself online as a “dirty dandy,” sharing stylized fashion shots, nightlife images, and photos with friends at upscale cafés in London.
The report also says Elmi has spent recent years in the United Kingdom, completing a doctorate at the University of Bristol and later working there as a research assistant. His academic interests are described as including “critically queer studies,” decolonisation, gender research, and Black humanities. More recent posts, the report adds, show him visiting the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Allegations Resurface—Again
The New York Post article revisits long-running conservative allegations about Omar’s marriage to Elmi, including the widely circulated claim that Elmi is her brother.
Those allegations remain unproven and have been repeatedly denied by Omar. Mainstream fact-checking organizations including AP, Reuters, Snopes, and AFP have also reported that they have found no verifiable evidence supporting the “brother” claim.
The report cites Abdihakim Osman, described as a Somali community figure, who told the Daily Mail in 2020 that Omar had once referred to Elmi as her brother who needed “papers.” Those claims have not been independently verified and conflict with documentation Omar has said she has provided. No federal agency has filed marriage-fraud charges against Omar or Elmi.
Trump Amplifies Attacks
The renewed focus on Omar comes after a recent rally where President Donald Trump escalated his attacks against her. In remarks reported from the event, Trump mocked her hijab, called her “illegal,” repeated the unverified allegation that she “married her brother to get in the US,” and argued she should be deported. He also attacked Somalia, describing it in highly derogatory terms.
Omar responded on X, writing: “Trump’s obsession with me is beyond weird he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies instead.”
Omar’s Current Marriage
Omar is currently married to Tim Mynett, a political consultant and founder of the E Street Group. The two married on March 11, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The marriage followed Omar’s earlier separation from Ahmed Hirsi, with whom she shares three children. Mynett has one son from a previous marriage.
