Trump blasts Rep. Jasmine Crockett as 'low IQ' and jokes Somalia should 'take back' Ilhan Omar
In the Oval Office, during executive-order signing, the former president reframed a policy moment as a personal attack on two Democratic lawmakers, reviving familiar criticisms of the progressive wing.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, speaking during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, veered from the administration’s policy agenda to attack two Democratic lawmakers, targeting freshman Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and referencing Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. He described Crockett as having a low IQ and suggested she might not belong in Congress, framing the moment as a test of aptitude rather than a policy moment. The remarks drew attention as he led reporters through the day’s proclamation and executive-order signings.
Trump tied Crockett to Omar, reviving a familiar line of attack against the progressive wing known as the so-called Squad. He also recalled meeting Somalia’s leader and, in a joking aside, suggested that the leader might want to take Crockett back. The room reportedly laughed at the anecdote as Trump shifted from policy to personal politics. The exchange occurred as he addressed reporters during the signing ceremony, which included actions such as approving a partial sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, underscoring the day’s broader policy agenda even as the remarks drew attention for their candor.
Crockett, a freshman Democrat from Texas, has quickly gained visibility for her combative style during House hearings and for clashes with Republicans. Omar has long been a target of Trump’s criticism over her pro-Palestinian views and progressive agenda, which has amplified friction between Trump’s messages and Democratic leadership. In his remarks, Trump grouped Crockett with Omar, reviving a tradition of targeting members of the so-called Squad and signaling that such critiques remain a centerpiece of his political appeal. Some in the room greeted the anecdote with laughter as the president pivoted toward political theater amid a day otherwise focused on executive actions.
The White House, Crockett, and Omar did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Separately, Trump reiterated a call for a cognitive test as a measure of fitness for public office, a stance he has revived in the past with allies arguing that mental sharpness should be a prerequisite for leadership. The comments complicated the day’s policy messaging for Republicans and underscored the former president’s ongoing strategy of connecting policy announcements to sharp personal critiques of political opponents.
Crockett’s profile in Congress has risen quickly as she presses a combative, broadcast-friendly approach to hearings and investigations, a style that has frequently collided with Republican priorities. Omar, who was born in Mogadishu, has been a frequent focus of Trump’s criticisms over her stance on American policy toward Israel and the Palestinian territories, as well as her broader progressive advocacy. By linking the two lawmakers in a single narrative, Trump aimed to frame Democratic leadership as aligned with an extremist left-wing agenda in the eyes of his supporters, while appealing to his base’s appetite for blunt, antagonistic rhetoric.
Analysts note that the moment fit within a broader pattern of Trump using public appearances to mix policy with personal attacks on political opponents. The episode occurred at a time when the administration was pursuing a slate of executive actions on issues ranging from technology and national security to immigration and domestic policy. While the signing ceremony advanced a substantive policy agenda, Trump’s remarks risks overshadowing the day’s formal announcements and fueling another round of partisan backlash ahead of future elections.
As the political conversation moves forward, Crockett and Omar remain prominent figures within the Democratic Party’s intra-party dynamics. The remarks highlight how Trump’s messaging strategy continues to leverage personal confrontations to mobilize supporters and draw attention away from policy minutiae. Whether such rhetoric translates into durable political gains remains a central question for observers and opponents alike, as the 2020s political landscape continues to polarize around personal narratives as much as policy disagreements.
