At a rally in Pennsylvania on December 10, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump once again ignited controversy with a string of incendiary remarks targeting African migrants, Somali-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and broader U.S. immigration policy. Trump’s comments, which included branding Somalia as “filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime” and referring to Somali immigrants as “garbage,” have drawn widespread condemnation and renewed scrutiny of his administration’s hardline stance on immigration.
According to NDTV, Trump’s tirade began as he questioned why the United States does not attract more immigrants from countries like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, suggesting, “Why can't we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few? Let us have a few. From Denmark ... send us some nice people. Do you mind? But we always take people from Somalia, places that are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime. The only thing they're good at is going after ships.” His comments were met with cheers from the crowd, but also sparked widespread outrage on social media and among advocacy groups.
Trump did not stop there. He went on to disparage Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a refugee from Somalia who has become a prominent political figure in Minnesota. Trump referred to Omar as “garbage” and accused her of “always complaining,” adding, “Ilhan Omar, whatever the hell her name is. With her little turban. I love her. She comes in, does nothing but bitch. She's always complaining.” He further claimed, “She's garbage. Her friends, garbage. These aren't people who work. These aren't people who say 'let's go, come on, let's make this place great.” The president even repeated the widely debunked conspiracy theory that Omar married her brother to gain entry to the United States, saying, “We ought to get her the hell out! She married her brother ... Therefore she's here illegally,” as the crowd chanted, “Send her back!”
As BBC and other outlets have reported, Omar fled Somalia’s civil war as a child, arrived in the United States as a refugee, and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. There is no evidence supporting the claim that she married her brother, and Omar has consistently described the allegation as “absolutely false and ridiculous.” Nevertheless, Trump’s repetition of the conspiracy theory at a public rally underscores his willingness to use inflammatory rhetoric against political opponents, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds.
In a moment that surprised even some of his supporters, Trump openly admitted to using the slur “shithole countries” to refer to Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting—a comment that had previously sparked global outrage and accusations of racism. According to NDTV, Trump not only confirmed the use of the term but also appeared to take pride in it, boasting about the controversy it generated during his first term.
Trump’s remarks come on the heels of a series of policy moves aimed at further restricting immigration to the United States. In November 2025, the president announced a plan to “permanently pause” migration from “all Third World Countries” and to deport foreign nationals deemed a “security risk,” following the killing of a National Guard member by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services subsequently issued new guidance allowing for “negative, country-specific factors” to be considered when vetting applicants from 19 so-called high-risk countries. These include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
These same 19 countries had already been subject to a travel ban announced by Trump in a June 2025 presidential proclamation. The proclamation, titled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” limited the entry of nationals from these countries into the U.S., targeting both immigrants and nonimmigrants. Trump has repeatedly argued that such measures are necessary to protect Americans from terrorism and crime, but critics contend that the policies are discriminatory and rooted in xenophobia.
Trump’s rhetoric and policies have not gone unnoticed beyond the borders of the United States. In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan took issue with Trump’s recent suggestion that Khan’s electoral victories were due to the rising number of migrants in the U.K. Speaking to POLITICO on December 9, 2025, Khan rebuked the U.S. president, calling him “obsessed” with London’s leadership and values. “I think it’s for President Trump to explain what he means by that,” Khan said. “I’m unclear.” He went on to argue that Americans are “flocking” to London because its liberal values are the “antithesis” of Trump’s, suggesting that the British capital’s openness and diversity stand in stark contrast to the U.S. president’s approach.
Khan’s comments reflect a broader international reaction to Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric and policies. Many world leaders and human rights organizations have condemned the administration’s travel bans and restrictions, arguing that they unfairly target people from Muslim-majority and African countries. Critics within the United States have also pointed out that Trump’s language, particularly his use of terms like “garbage” and “shithole countries,” serves to dehumanize immigrants and inflame racial tensions.
The president’s supporters, however, argue that his blunt talk and tough policies are necessary to address what they see as a crisis of illegal immigration and to protect American jobs and security. They point to cases like the killing of the National Guard member as justification for stricter vetting and deportation measures. Some rally-goers in Pennsylvania echoed Trump’s sentiments, chanting slogans and applauding his remarks about keeping “garbage” out of the country.
Yet, for many observers, Trump’s latest outburst marks a troubling escalation in the rhetoric surrounding immigration and race in the United States. The president’s willingness to repeat debunked conspiracy theories, use overtly racist language, and boast about past slurs has reignited debates about the boundaries of political discourse and the responsibilities of public officials. With the 2026 election season looming, it remains to be seen how Trump’s words and policies will shape the national conversation on immigration—and whether they will mobilize opposition or further entrench support among his base.
As the dust settles from Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, the divisions over immigration, identity, and American values appear as stark as ever. The president’s remarks have drawn both condemnation and praise, but one thing is certain: the debate over who belongs in America, and on what terms, is far from over.
