Somalia responds to Trump’s “offensive” statements

Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Faki said that the Somalis will not accept belittlement after US President Donald Trump once again insulted them.

In a letter to Reuters, Faki said that Trump should focus on fulfilling his pledges to American voters “instead of being preoccupied with Somalia.”

While he expressed his gratitude to the United States for its military support in the fight against Al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country, he rejected the descriptions that Trump made of the Somalis.

The Defense Minister said, “The Somali people are known throughout the world for their hard work… They are known for their steadfastness in the face of adversity. They have faced hardships and many enemies, including those who deny their right to exist and kill, humiliate and insult them.”

He continued, saying, “They overcame all that and were able to survive.”

On Tuesday, Trump, in a speech he delivered at a rally in Pennsylvania, denounced immigration from “Third World” countries.

“We always receive people from Somalia, which are disastrous places, aren’t they? … They are dirty, disgusting and full of crime,” he said.

“The only thing they are good at is following ships,” he added, referring to piracy operations off the coast of Somalia.

In late November, Trump announced that he intended to stop immigration from “third world countries” after an Afghan citizen shot two National Guard soldiers in Washington.

He also threatened to cancel “millions” of accepted applications granted under his predecessor, Joe Biden, and “deport anyone who does not provide the United States with additional value.”