Somalia’s prime minister says his government will not be drawn into a war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump after Trump referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage” during a cabinet meeting in Washington on Tuesday.
“We are not the only country that Trump insults,” Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said at an innovation summit in Mogadishu, according to video shared by local broadcaster Shabelle TV and cited by The New York Times. “Sometimes it’s better not to respond,” he added, suggesting that ignoring the remark was preferable to escalating tensions.
During the cabinet session, Trump said he did not want Somali immigrants in the United States, warning the country would “go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.” He also disparaged Somalia itself, calling it a place that “stinks” and claiming it lacks structure. His comments came as U.S. immigration authorities launched a targeted enforcement operation in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, which is home to the largest Somali community in the country.
Despite the rhetoric, the United States remains one of Somalia’s most important security partners, especially in the fight against the Al-Shabab militant group, according to the Times. Washington provided roughly $128 million in assistance to Somalia in the 2025 fiscal year, though that support has fallen compared to previous years following cuts under the Trump administration.
In Mogadishu, Trump’s statements sparked anger among some residents, who argued that Somali officials should respond more forcefully. “Why have you kept your mouth shut about Trump’s hate speech toward our people?” asked Abdullahi Omar, a trader in the capital, criticizing what he saw as a muted reaction from leaders.
Others chose to highlight the achievements of Somalis living in the U.S. “We are not garbage,” said 24-year-old designer Ali Yahye. “The Somali community in the U.S. has made a lot of contributions to the country.”
Trump’s comments are part of a long pattern of hostility toward Somali migration. At a 2016 campaign rally in Minneapolis, he claimed Minnesota had “suffered enough” from accepting Somali refugees. As president, he included Somalia in his travel ban and has repeatedly singled out U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, who came to the United States as a Somali child refugee and later became a citizen.
