Trump Insults Somalis at White House Easter Lunch, Sparks Outrage by Saying They Are ‘Low-IQ’ People

• Donald Trump has again taken aim at Somalis, particularly those in the United States, saying they needed to go back home
• The US President has previously insulted people of Somali descent, claiming that they were not intelligent and crooks
• Social media users weighed in on Trump's comments, criticising him for them and noting that it wasn't unusual for him to insult others

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

WASHINGTON, DC - Donald Trump has again insulted Somalis, claiming that they have a low IQ and are generally bad people.

Trump made the comments during an Easter lunch at the White House on 1 April 2026. It’s not the first time either that the President of the United States has insulted Somalis, particularly those living in America.

Read also

KwaMaphumulo religious group’s practices raise eyebrows, South Africans divided over cult claims

As of early 2026, the estimated number of people of Somali descent living in the US is approximately 260,000. Minnesota is home to the largest number, with between 80,000 and 108,000 people of Somali descent living there.

What did Trump say about Somalis?

During the Easter lunch, Trump said that Somalia was a terrible place.

“A lot of people say it’s the worst country anywhere in the world,” he said.

He also claimed that the country had no money, no government, and no police, adding that the people just shoot each other all day long.

He also claimed that Somalis went to Minnesota, where they stole $19 billion. While there are fraud cases tied to Somali-run organisations in the state, the total amount stolen was not $19 billion and not all those involved were of Somali descent. During the lunch, Trump also claimed that Somalis were not clever.

"They're low IQ. I can generalise. They're low-IQ people. They're bad people," he stated.

The US President also claimed that Somalis didn’t like to work, but also claimed that they liked to buy Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Read also

"We need to do something": Cape Town gent shows how foreign property ownership is driving up prices

Trump has criticised Somalis before

The US President’s comments are by no means new. He has previously criticised people of Somali descent, saying they needed to ‘go back to where they came from and fix it’.

He has also insulted Representative Ilhan Omar in the past, calling her garbage and incompetent. Omar, a Somali-born American, is a US representative for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District.

Trump also claimed, without proof, that Omar had married her brother, a statement which drew laughter from those attending the Easter lunch.

Social media users weigh in on Trump’s insults

Social media users reacted to Trump’s latest verbal attack, with some criticising him for it, while others questioned why he was obsessed with Somalis.

@abdirahman_raw asked:

“Somalia and the Somali people live rent-free in his head. Why is he obsessed?”

@SOM8400 stated:

“Trump is mad because he found out that Somalia is going to be the next superpower of oil, and they won’t make a deal with him. We are allergic to Trump towers in Somalia.”

Read also

Iran dismisses Donald Trump's allegations that Tehran agreed to ceasefire

@thefalseeconomy said:

“Just plain racism. I mean, there's no denying it.”

@Emuye06 asked:

“How many times are we going to hear the same story? He keeps repeating the same story.”

@ArtCandee added:

“Donald is so embarrassing.”

@Auriandra noted:

“He only calls Black people ‘low IQ’.

@josephrukara stated:

“Statements like this from Trump are not just inflammatory; they are deeply irresponsible. At best, it’s careless. At worst, it’s a deliberate appeal to division.”

@GradyTripp00 said:

“This is absolutely disgusting. Even worse is the entire room full of people laughing along with this vile, racist nonsense.”

Other stories about the US and African countries

Briefly News reported that the relationship between the US and Africa has been mixed since Trump was re-elected as president.

• In March 2025, Trump mocked Lesotho during an address to Congress, saying no one had heard about the country.
• Trump hosted the presidents of five African countries at the White House on 9 July 2025, with many claiming he was after their mineral wealth.
• The United States Department of Homeland Security deported dangerous criminals to the Kingdom of Eswatini in July 2025.

Source: Briefly News