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Did Ilhan Omar really say ‘World War 11’ while referring to Alien Enemies Act? What we know
Ilhan Omar viral clip allegedly saying “World War Eleven” spreads widely. Omar made the mistake in a January 2025 presser and it's an old clip.
A claim is circulating on social media where Minnesota House Rep. Ilhan Omar can be heard referring to World War Two as 'World War Eleven.' Multiple social media accounts - mostly far right - are circulating the clip to double up on misinformation around Ilhan Omar's IQ.
The clip has gone viral big time, with millions of views on social media. “The last time the Alien Enemies Act was invoked. It was used to detain and deport German, Japanese, Italian immigrants during World War 11,” Omar can be heard saying in the 13-second clip.
The clip's authenticity has been verified, with a CSPAN video of Ilhan Omar supposedly referring to World War Two and World War Eleven during a January 2025 presser.
Also read: Fact check: Did Somaliland really demand Ilhan Omar's arrest? Here's the truth deportation row
Here's the video:
Misinformation Around Ilhan Omar
Misinformation around Ilhan Omar is common, and from time to time, different fake news about the Minnesota Democrat has emerged. One such claim concerns Ilhan Omar allegedly having a low IQ. The insults are mainly from Trump, right‑wing commentators, parodists and YouTube videos that mock her or exaggerate her policy positions.
Also read: Ilhan Omar net worth row: Minnesota Rep explodes at reporter, says ‘you are stupid’
Similarly, Fact‑checkers have repeatedly debunked popular memes falsely claiming she has “23 arrests” or has made terror‑supporting statements. Other claims, such as Omar married her “brother” Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009 to help him with immigration, have also been debunked.
Ilhan Omar Blasts Trump's ICE Changes
Rep. Ilhan Omar recently blasted the move by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rename the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to “National Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” Amid claims that Trump backs the renaming, with would turn the acronym of the agency to 'NICE,' Omar blasted the move.
She called the move "whitewashing." “A rebrand won’t distract us from the truth: this reprehensible agency murdered two Minnesotans in broad daylight,” she wrote in a post on X. “Abolish ICE.”
Omar is referring to the deaths of Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24 during the ICE raids that were ongoing in Minnesota. The moves by the ICE have faced massive backlash and have led to the firing of ex-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
