Elon Musk’s scapegoating of Ilhan Omar

Ilhan Omar is no stranger to political attacks. As the only Somali-born member of Congress and one of its few Black Muslim immigrant women, she has long been the target of racist and Islamophobic smears. But in recent times, the attacks have taken on a more alarming intensity. Republican lawmaker, Brandon Gill from Texas, for instance, circulated a petition calling for Omar to be “arrested and deported” to Somalia – despite her having been a US citizen for over twenty years. 

Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk, wielding his vast online influence, amplified a doctored video that falsely portrayed Omar as advising undocumented immigrants on how to evade the law. Musk made the outrageous claim that: “She is breaking the law. Literally. Outright,” citing an obviously edited clip, torn from its context. Ilhan Omar addressed the clip and Musk’s broader targeting of her on Zeteo, blasting him: “He wakes up lying and goes to sleep lying”. “The level of stupidity these people are displaying every single day is frankly embarrassing”, she added, speaking about Brandom Gill’s campaign. 

These attacks are not merely the result of political disagreement – they are part of a much longer and more troubling history of scapegoating Black leaders and immigrants whenever those in power need someone to blame.

In this instance, the narrative is clear: Omar, like so many before her, is cast as the figure onto whom the frustrations and fears of the powerful are projected, regardless of the truth. It is a ritual as old as politics itself.

A history of scapegoating Black leaders and immigrants

Throughout US history, whenever the country faces social or economic turmoil, certain groups – often Black Americans or immigrants – are singled out as scapegoats. For over a century, Black political progress has frequently been met with resistance and conspiracy theories, rather than honest reflection. During the Red Summer of 1919, a period marked by widespread racial violence, white officials routinely dismissed Black Americans’ grievances, attributing their demands for justice to external influences like communist agitators. This narrative of “outside agitators” served as a convenient way to deflect attention from the systemic issues of racial violence and inequality. For instance, some southern leaders perpetuated the myth that Black southerners were content with their circumstances, and that unrest was caused by outside interference. This pattern of deflection and denial has stymied meaningful progress toward racial equity for decades.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and we see a similar form of scapegoating when Barack Obama became the first Black president. Almost immediately, racist conspiracy theories such as “birtherism” emerged, falsely claiming Obama wasn’t born in America. The real issue wasn’t his policies – it was the discomfort with a Black man in the White House. Many political commentators noted that the birther lie was essentially a racist dog whistle, questioning Obama’s legitimacy purely because of his skin colour. At the same time, far-right hate groups surged, feeding off this atmosphere. The Southern Poverty Law Center documented a startling rise in extremist groups in the years following Obama’s election – a 755% increase in US hate groups by 2012. White supremacist and militia organisations mobilised as though Obama’s very presence was a threat, and hate-fuelled violence also spiked. In fact, FBI data revealed that of single-bias incidents, 47.3 percent were motivated by racial bias, 20.0 percent by religious bias, 19.3 percent by sexual-orientation bias, and 12.8 percent by ethnicity or national origin bias – mirroring the rise of these groups. Instead of uniting behind the country’s first Black president, a segment of America chose to demonise him and those who looked like him.

We’ve also seen how Black victims of injustice are scapegoated to excuse systemic racism. In 2012, after unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Florida, rather than addressing racial profiling, some commentators reprehensibly placed the blame on Trayvon himself. A well-known example is Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera, who argued on national television that “the hoodie is as much responsible” for Trayvon’s death as the man who shot him. In other words, Trayvon’s choice of clothing – not the aggressive actions of the armed neighbourhood watch volunteer – was scapegoated as the cause of the tragedy. This kind of victim-blaming, effectively suggesting that a Black youth brought violence upon himself, revealed how deeply entrenched prejudices can distort public discourse. It was easier for some to criticise a hoodie and a Black teenager’s appearance than to confront the uncomfortable truth of racial bias in America.

In 2012, after unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Florida, rather than addressing racial profiling, some commentators reprehensibly placed the blame on Trayvon himself.

Immigrants, especially Black immigrants, have likewise served as convenient scapegoats in American history. During times of hardship, nativist voices often falsely accuse immigrant communities of causing society’s ills – from crime to disease. A stark historical example is the treatment of Haitian immigrants during the 1980s Aids crisis. Haitians were one of the groups unfairly singled out as alleged carriers of HIV, leading to widespread stigma. US health officials at one point even listed being Haitian as a risk factor for Aids, despite little evidence. This baseless scapegoating had real consequences: Haitian communities faced discrimination, fear, and isolation. Decades later, that ugly stereotype still lingered in some corners. In 2017, President Donald Trump claimed that Haitians “all have Aids,” resurrecting the long-debunked slur that Haitian immigrants bring disease. He also infamously derided Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries,” suggesting that immigrants from these places were undesirable. His administration is now even considering a ban on people from 22 African countries visiting the US. Such rhetoric is a textbook example of scapegoating – blaming foreigners and Black immigrants for public health issues or other problems, rather than confronting the facts.

We see a similar pattern of demonising immigrants whenever it’s politically convenient. In the wake of economic anxiety or national crises, leaders have often pointed fingers at immigrant groups (Muslims, Latinos, Africans – anyone seen as “other”) rather than addressing root causes. It’s easier to rally people against a scapegoat. Today, rather than focus on real issues like growing inequality or lack of healthcare, some politicians and media figures choose to vilify people like Ilhan Omar. They paint outspoken Black immigrants as “the problem” simply because these individuals challenge injustice. It’s a distraction as old as America itself: by making a woman like Omar the face of everything wrong, those in power avoid accountability for the very real policy failures and social issues they have allowed to fester.

Elon Musk’s Role in Spreading Misinformation

In recent months, Elon Musk has emerged as a central figure fanning the flames of these attacks. Musk may be best known as a tech billionaire, but he has also become an influential voice on the far-right, attending Alternative für Deutschland rallies and rabble rousing from his internet perch. With over a hundred million followers on his X platform, Musk wields disproportionate influence. Unfortunately, he has frequently used that megaphone to amplify misinformation and hate. 

The most recent example, of course, was the manipulated clip Musk shared, originally posted by a right-wing provocateur, which created a false impression that Omar was conducting secret sessions advising undocumented immigrants on how to evade US immigration law. The video was a mash-up: it showed unrelated footage of Somali immigrants, seamlessly stitched with a clip of Omar speaking in a completely different context. Anyone paying close attention could see it was a sham. Yet Musk seized upon it and tweeted as though it were incontrovertible proof of criminal behaviour. 

Responding to X, Ilhan Omar gave the South African billionaire a basic lesson on the right people have to know their constitutional rights in America. “Maybe you should brush up on our laws given the fact you're breaking them to steal American's sensitive data”, she posted. 

He also piled on when Ilhan Omar was targeted following the spread of another manipulated clip in February 2024. The Democratic lawmaker was giving a speech to her constituents in Somali, a small portion of which was cut, subtitled in English, and then spread across the internet by Rhoda Elmi, Somaliland’s former deputy foreign minister. The subtitles weren’t accurate, but Republicans seized on the clip, alleging that Omar had said she was Somali first and American second, despite her actual words being: “We are people who know that they are Somali and Muslim.” Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene moved to censure Omar, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called for Omar to be denaturalised and deported.

Elon Musk weighed in on the saga more than once. Despite Joe Biden calling for an investigation into Musk’s ties with foreign countries, beneath a post with Omar’s clip, he wrote: “The United States or another country. Pick one.” Following the spread of the clip he also suddenly began posting with greater interest on Somalis in America. 

It’s ironic – and alarming – that a man who frequently styles himself as a champion of “free speech” and rails against alleged media bias is now one of the biggest spreaders of false information. As The New Republic observed, Musk’s actions exemplify how someone who bemoans “misinformation” on the left can readily use his own platform to spread lies in service of his agenda. By sharing that doctored video, Musk provided a megaphone for a baseless conspiracy theory. He didn’t bother to check its accuracy, and, once exposed, he offered no apology. This episode underscores how Musk is shaping public discourse in his image – one where facts are relegated to the background, and inflammatory narratives that serve his political aims take centre stage.

Notably, Musk isn’t operating in a vacuum. His high-profile attacks on Omar have emboldened others on the right to launch their own campaigns of misinformation and intimidation. Republican Rep. Brandon Gill’s campaign is a demonstration of that. 

Legal experts immediately pointed out that calls to deport Omar are absurd and baseless, given that she is a naturalised US citizen with full rights. But the facts didn’t matter; what mattered was stoking outrage. Omar herself condemned Gill’s stunt as “racist and, quite frankly, fascist,” warning that it was ripped “directly out of Donald Trump’s fascist playbook.” Indeed, we heard similar chants of “send her back” at Trump rallies in 2019, directed at Omar and other congresswomen of colour. Now, that rhetoric is being revived and amplified through official channels.

When a figure as prominent as Musk promotes a conspiracy theory, it legitimises fringe ideas and pushes them into the mainstream. His followers see it as marching orders. The result is an echo chamber of false accusations, where a meme or a doctored clip can quickly morph into a full-blown political movement targeting an individual. This is deeply dangerous in a democracy. By turning a duly elected representative into a bogeyman based on misinformation, Musk and his allies are attempting to demonise an entire community by proxy (in Omar’s case, Somali Americans and Muslims) and to silence a voice that advocates for marginalised groups.

When a figure as prominent as Musk promotes a conspiracy theory, it legitimises fringe ideas and pushes them into the mainstream. His followers see it as marching orders.

It’s also important to recognise Musk’s broader entanglement in politics, which gives his words even greater weight. He isn’t merely tweeting from the sidelines – he has been brought inside the halls of power. In late 2024, Musk was reportedly given an official role by Donald Trump, tasked with overseeing a new “Department of Government Efficiency” (often referred to by the tongue-in-cheek acronym DOGE). In this capacity, Musk has been reviewing and slashing federal programs, wielding governmental authority. For instance, Musk spearheaded efforts to cut funding for services like education, food aid, and even clinical trials for diseases, all in the name of trimming “waste.”

Yet, tellingly, Musk has defended the continued flow of taxpayer dollars to his own companies, such as lucrative SpaceX contracts. This blatant conflict of interest has not gone unnoticed – Ilhan Omar herself has slammed Musk as a “greedy billionaire” who is more than happy to “rip off the American people” while pretending to be an altruist. “The greedy billionaire that Europe rejects is the same man the Republicans are imposing on the American people,” Omar said, pointing out Musk’s hypocrisy in cutting social programs while never cutting corporate welfare for his businesses. In a congressional news conference, she highlighted how Musk has been eviscerating funding for healthcare and research that ordinary Americans rely on, even as he lines his pockets with government contracts.

Musk’s dual role as a social media baron and a government official makes his scapegoating of Omar especially pernicious. He commands the ear of millions of voters online and holds direct influence over public policy. When he spreads lies about a Black immigrant congresswoman, it’s not merely online trolling – it’s part of a coordinated political strategy. Progressive lawmakers have even warned that the alliance between Trump and Musk represents something akin to “a plutocratic coup” – a takeover of government by the ultra-rich and powerful. In early 2025, protesters in Louisiana carried signs calling Musk and Trump “enemies foreign and domestic,” and progressive Democrats cautioned that Musk’s unprecedented sway in the White House amounts to a dangerous marriage of wealth and state power. Musk’s misinformation about Omar thus serves a dual purpose: it rallies the public against a convenient scapegoat, and it distracts from the conflicts of interest and extreme policies being pushed by Musk and the Trump administration.

In short, Musk has become a chief instigator in a new wave of misinformation targeting Black leaders. By attacking Ilhan Omar with lies, he is stoking racial and xenophobic resentment. And by doing so from a position of authority, he’s normalising this behaviour in our political discourse. It’s a dangerous tactic – spreading blatant falsehoods to turn public opinion against a Black immigrant leader – and it’s ripped straight from the oldest playbooks of demagogues.

Kendrick Lamar’s powerful message 

Amid this climate, even popular culture has begun to cast a stark light on the exploitation and silencing of Black voices. Rapper Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance this year was a bold artistic statement on how America treats Black artists, athletes, and leaders. Rather than a simple medley of hits, Lamar crafted a narrative onstage that spoke volumes. At one point in the show, actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as a flamboyant Uncle Sam, appeared as a voice of America’s establishment. When Lamar’s performance grew more intense – with booming beats and unapologetic Black imagery – Uncle Sam interrupted, yelling that Kendrick was “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto!” The music momentarily stopped as this character chastised Lamar, even sneering, “I see you brought your homeboys with you,” when a crew of Black dancers flooded the stage. It was a jarring moment, intentionally designed to mirror reality: whenever Black people in America get “too real” or challenge the comfort of the mainstream, they are told to tone it down.

Lamar’s performance then shifted tone – the lights dimmed, the music softened. The Uncle Sam character nodded approvingly when the show became more nostalgic and calmer. “That’s what America wants – nice and calm,” he proclaimed with a grin. The satire was crystal clear. Lamar was illustrating how the nation loves Black culture when it’s entertaining and non-threatening but is quick to police Black voices when they speak uncomfortable truths. By the end of the halftime show, Lamar literally splits an image of the American flag in two during a dance routine – a visual metaphor for a nation divided between its ideals and its reality. Many observers noted that the whole spectacle was “bigger than the music” – it was Lamar’s way of forcing millions of viewers to reckon with the idea that Black Americans are celebrated when they perform but attacked when they speak up.

The satire was crystal clear. Lamar was illustrating how the nation loves Black culture when it’s entertaining and non-threatening but is quick to police Black voices when they speak uncomfortable truths.

Ilhan Omar’s situation is no different. For years, she was often hailed as a refugee success story – the girl who fled war in Somalia, grew up in America, and achieved the American Dream by winning a seat in Congress. If she was seen but not heard too loudly, many were happy to point to her as proof of America’s benevolence. But once she started challenging injustice and speaking truth to power, she became a target. The same nation that once applauded her achievement when it was useful for its own prestige and reputation, now finds factions trying to paint her as an enemy. Lamar’s Super Bowl message – that America’s establishment wants Black voices to entertain, not emancipate – rings painfully true in Omar’s case. The moment she, and others like her, begin calling out racism or inequality, the backlash comes: “Too loud, too ghetto, tone it down.” Kendrick Lamar used music to expose that hypocrisy on a global stage, and it underscores why figures like Omar face such visceral attacks when they refuse to stay silent.

Why this matters

Ilhan Omar’s fight is about far more than one Congresswoman – it is about all of us who believe in democracy, equality, and truth. The scapegoating of Omar, and others like her, carries chilling implications for the health of American society. As a Somali immigrant and Black woman, Omar’s very presence in Congress is a testament to the promise of a diverse democracy. When she is attacked with lies and hatred, it sends a message to every minority child watching: if you speak up, this could happen to you. That threat hangs not just over Black immigrants, but over journalists, activists, and any leaders who challenge the powerful.

I am a Somali immigrant myself, and I see echoes of Omar’s experiences in my own life. On a smaller scale, I’ve felt the sting of people questioning where I’m “really from,” or telling me I don’t belong in the only country I know as home.

I am a Somali immigrant myself, and I see echoes of Omar’s experiences in my own life. On a smaller scale, I’ve felt the sting of people questioning where I’m “really from,” or telling me I don’t belong in the only country I know as home. Many immigrants and Black Americans have stories of being told to “go back” somewhere, even if their families have been in the US for generations. We’re often expected to be “grateful” and stay silent, no matter what hardships or discrimination we face. Omar refuses to stay silent, and that clearly terrifies those who want to maintain the status quo. She speaks out against war, against Islamophobia, against economic inequality – issues that make powerful people uncomfortable. So instead of debating her on policy, they attempt to discredit her identity. This is why her voice, and voices like hers, are so important to protect. They represent the segments of America that have historically been silenced or ignored.

When billionaires like Musk and extremists like white supremacists get to decide who “belongs” in America, our democracy is in deep trouble. The United States was founded on the ideal (however imperfectly realised) that anyone could be American, that we are a nation of immigrants and ideals, not blood and soil. If we allow that idea to be chipped away – if we let propagandists demonise a sitting Congresswoman because of her skin colour, religion, or immigrant background – we inch closer to losing the very soul of our democracy.

The attacks on Omar are ultimately a distraction from the real issues we should be tackling: economic inequality, corruption, declining wages, healthcare, climate change. These are issues that affect all working families, regardless of race or origin. But scapegoating Omar shifts the focus to a manufactured problem. It’s the classic trick: Look over there, blame her for your problems! Meanwhile, the obscene concentration of wealth and power that people like Musk and certain politicians enjoy stays unchallenged.

The attacks on Omar are ultimately a distraction from the real issues we should be tackling: economic inequality, corruption, declining wages, healthcare, climate change.

We must ask ourselves: Who benefits from this narrative? Who gains when Americans are busy arguing about a Black Muslim Congresswoman’s right to exist, rather than uniting to demand better healthcare or wages? The answer is clear – it’s not the working class, not struggling families, and certainly not immigrants or Black communities. The beneficiaries are those already at the top, who find it convenient when the masses are divided and distracted. By turning Omar into a bogeyman, they draw attention away from corporate tax breaks, from stalled social programmes, from their failure to improve people’s material lives. Scapegoating is a cynical ploy, but history shows it can be effective if unchallenged.

The broader implications for racial justice are stark. The accusations reinforce the very prejudices and divisions that movements like Black Lives Matter have long sought to dismantle. They dehumanise Black people and immigrants by turning them into symbols of fear or ridicule. Each time lies about Omar spread, Islamophobes and racists feel validated. Hate incidents against Muslims or East Africans may spike, as people are led to believe someone like Omar is an “enemy within.” In fact, Omar has reported a rise in death threats whenever these smear campaigns flare up. The FBI had to investigate serious plots against her following Trump’s 2019 tweets. This is not “just politics”; it is putting a target on someone’s back. And when one public figure can be targeted in this way, it casts a chilling effect on others. We do not want a country where only those with “acceptable” backgrounds can participate in public life without harassment. That would be the antithesis of racial justice and equality.

Progressive leaders are calling out the racism and xenophobia for what they are. Ordinary citizens are recognising the pattern and speaking up.

Despite all this, there is hope. The pushback against the scapegoating of Ilhan Omar has been resolute. Many of her colleagues and everyday Americans have rallied to her defence, rightly framing these attacks as an assault on American values themselves. Progressive leaders are calling out the racism and xenophobia for what they are. Ordinary citizens are recognising the pattern and speaking up. And figures like Kendrick Lamar are using art to educate and unite people around the truth. Such solidarity is crucial. It shows that for every voice shouting “send her back,” there are more voices saying, “she is one of us,” and that we will not be divided by hate.

The saga of Ilhan Omar – from refugee, to citizen, to Congresswoman facing smears – serves as a microcosm of the broader battle for the soul of American democracy. Will we succumb to fear and bigotry, allowing the powerful to pit us against one another? Or will we uphold the principle that America belongs to all who cherish its ideals, regardless of race or birthplace? The answer will shape our future. The scapegoating of Black immigrants and Black leaders is a toxic tactic that must be rejected. We must remain focused on the real issues and hold the true power-brokers accountable. As the saying goes, when the chorus of hate rises, we should listen even more closely to the voices speaking truth to power. Ilhan Omar’s voice – uncompromising and courageous – embodies the promise of a more just and inclusive America. Defending her against lies and hatred is not just about one person; it’s about defending the idea of a democracy where everyone can participate fully without prejudice or persecution. And that, in the end, is a cause worth fighting for, together.