Somali leaders held a press conference over the weekend endorsing President Donald Trump, and so far no local mainstream TV outlet has covered it—despite Minnesota being home to the largest Somali population in the country, including high-profile figures like Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar.
During the nearly hour-long press conference, more than 10 community leaders took to the podium, explaining why they’re backing Trump for another term.
Their reasons included concerns about public safety, educational opportunities, and the struggling economy—issues they claim the Democratic Party has failed to address.
🚨 WATCH: Minnesota Somali leaders endorse President Trump:
“Our conditions are horrible, we can’t afford anything. As working class and middle class people. Now please understand this, we love our brothers and sisters who are Democrats, but you left us.” pic.twitter.com/hbzH8TyEhm
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) November 2, 2024
“Our conditions are horrible. We can’t afford anything as working class and middle class people,” said Mohamed Ahmed. “Now please understand this, we love our brothers and sisters who are Democrats, but you left us.”
Other speakers echoed Ahmed’s frustration, with one accusing the Democratic Party of becoming the party of billionaires and war, while another praised Trump’s past economic policies and his promise to end ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
“Under Donald J. Trump, the economy was a lot better than what we have right now,” said one speaker. “We are being lied to [about] inflation rates, employment rates, education rates, and housing rates. This is not acceptable.”
Somali leaders in Minnesota endorse President Trump as Election Day nears. pic.twitter.com/fsaChgfc0r
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) November 2, 2024
As Alpha News reported, this isn’t the first indication that some Somali voters in Minnesota are turning to Trump.
Salman Fiqy, a small business owner who recently ran in the Republican primary for a seat in the Minnesota House, previously joined Liz Collin Reports to explain why more Somali Americans are backing conservative candidates, citing concerns about education, the economy, and public safety.
“Also coming from a Muslim faith, we tend to be very conservative people and some of the issues we cannot really turn a blind eye to, we cannot ignore some of the issues,” he said. “We have shared values and interests with the Republican Party. I don’t really care about the backlash.”
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Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
