Do you speak Somali?
Chances are you don't, and the same goes for most of Ilhan Omar's constituents, even though her district has a fairly large Somali population. In fact, aside from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and a few other woke lefties, almost no non-Somalis speak the language, and that amounts to 96 percent or more of her constituents.
Still, it's not inherently shocking that Omar would do outreach to her most loyal voters, but it is more than a little surprising that one of her first pieces of outreach after the search of her home and the collection of DNA evidence would be a video with no speaking, but with a Somali song that would sound quite grating on the ears to most of the 96 percent who aren't deep into Somali culture.
Less scrolling, more strolling. Enjoying our beautiful Minnesota lakes. 🥰 https://t.co/3YHFGx00Uq
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 23, 2026
The imagery of the post is designed to cater to her white liberal voters, many of whom live in the ritzy "liberal lakes" area in Minneapolis. She is strolling along one of Minneapolis' famous lakes with beautiful fall colors behind her, sipping coffee with her white husband, laughing along with him.
Ahh.Touching.
But the musical track? It's a Somali fight song, and one that is associated with the gang violence and aggression that is plaguing the Twin Cities. It's not just associated with them; it celebrates the clan clashes and serves as an explicit warning about the dangers of crossing someone.
To anyone who doesn’t speak Somali, Omar’s 27-second video—which currently has 2.5 million views on X—gives an impression that the Minnesota Democrat is unfazed by the rapidly accelerating federal investigation into her immigration status and finances, probes Trump said this week could lead to her deportation or arrest. However, the Somali lyrics of the song to which Omar set the video—written by a Somali rapper Omar shares personal ties with—sends a message that indicates she’s filled with righteous indignation and is relishing the opportunity to enact revenge against her "enemies."
"The almighty has given me strength," the song states in Somali, according to the English translation commissioned by the Free Beacon. "If I confront you in the afternoon, by evening, I will teach you a lesson and keep you awake throughout the night. Yes, you will suffer and cry in seething. You will scream like a demon."
"Let me show you who I am. No enemy dares to threaten me," the song continues. "Let the enemies die of seething. We are the ones who rule this land."
The song is titled "Nimaan Ciilayba Icaaya," written and performed by U.S.-based Somali rapper Ilkacase Qays and featuring Somali female singer Hodan Abdirahman.
The words jar with the video's bucolic scenes and are clearly coded to be heard and understood only by her Somali audience.
There are several audiences for this video, and a separate message is sent to each: First, there is Trump and the administration, whom she wants to know that she is not scared; second, there are her non-Somali constituents and supporters on the national scene, who are presented with an unbowed and happy Ilhan Omar enjoying her very upper-middle-class environs in the liberal lakes region, and the images are soothing; and third, to her Somali audience, which is being given the clear message that she is the political boss in this town and they had better not cross her.
That's not even a coded message: the song itself is about clan conflicts and violence, and is filled with violent imagery and threats to do harm and torture people. And it drops in the midst of a gang war that is literally leaving dead bodies in its wake. On its own, it isn't a threat to anyone's life, but it certainly implies a threat to anyone who might cross her.
The Somali community is split by clans, and those clans align with different political factions. My wife and others have dealt with Somali whistleblowers who want to bring Omar down, and they are likely salivating at the prospect.
Omar, it seems, has a message for them: DON'T cooperate with the feds.
Scott Johnson says that he has been getting calls from Somali friends with whom he has worked to expose Ilhan Omar, and they claim to be getting phone calls from members of the Somali diaspora, threatening them.
Since Friday night I have been getting distressed calls from Somali friends about threats emanating from Europe against perceived opponents of Ilhan Omar in the Twin Cities. I have been told that the threats are conveyed in coded language via disappearing messages or videos on TikTok.
I've not spoken to any of these people and can't judge their credibility, but their credibility certainly is bolstered by the fact that Omar herself posted this video with what sure appear to be threats in Somali.
Omar, of course, can laugh all this off. She has a longstanding relationship with the rapper, who is deeply involved in left-wing politics, and can simply say she likes the song's beat. Who is to say differently? We can't read her mind.
But just as we all know what the protection racketeer means when he says you have a nice-looking store, I think it's fair to say Omar is likely sending a message in Somali to those who might want to cross her, even if the words seem innocent.
As far back as a decade ago, Alpha News wrote a story about Somalis being intimidated into silence whenever issues of Omar's corruption came up. There's a lot of smoke, and I smell a fire.