Former United States President Barack Obama has accused President Donald Trump of using federal power to target Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar over her criticism of his administration, warning that the investigation against her could set a dangerous precedent for American democracy.
In a post on X on Sunday, Obama described the investigation into Omar, who represents Minnesota in the US House of Representatives, as a violation of a fundamental democratic principle, arguing that elected officials should not face government intimidation for expressing dissenting political views.
“To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts,” Obama said.
“The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.”
Obama said Omar arrived in the United States with her father when she was 12 and subsequently became a naturalised citizen after her father obtained US citizenship when she was 17.
He alleged that the Trump administration was seeking to deport the congresswoman based on an unsubstantiated claim that she was already 18 when her father became a citizen and should therefore have applied for citizenship independently.
The former president also condemned the search of Omar’s home by federal agents and the seizure of her phone and personal records, describing the actions as an apparent attempt to use government authority against a political critic.
Omar, a Somali-born American politician, has been among Trump’s most outspoken critics and has repeatedly clashed with the president over his policies, rhetoric and treatment of immigrants.
On October 12, federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, DC, home as part of a criminal investigation into possible fraud involving her immigration and naturalisation records.
Authorities reportedly seized her phone and passport and issued subpoenas to some of her relatives. The investigation centres on allegations that Omar or members of her family provided false information during their immigration process decades ago.
Omar has denied the allegations and described the investigation as politically motivated, maintaining that the action against her is connected to her opposition to Trump.
Obama argued that the case reflects a broader pattern in which the administration has allegedly deployed federal agencies against individuals it regards as political adversaries.
He cited previous actions involving the New York attorney-general and a former Federal Bureau of Investigation director, arguing that similar cases had stalled or been dismissed for lacking a sufficient legal basis.
The former president warned that using government institutions to pursue political opponents could undermine democratic safeguards and create a dangerous precedent that future administrations might exploit against their own critics.
He also expressed concern that the investigation could distract Omar from her legislative responsibilities while forcing her to incur substantial legal expenses to defend herself against allegations he considers baseless.
Obama maintained that the issue should concern Americans across party lines, regardless of their opinions about Omar’s political positions.
He argued that the fundamental question was whether the federal government should be allowed to use its considerable powers to intimidate elected representatives simply because they challenge the president.
The controversy has renewed concerns about the relationship between executive power, political accountability and the independence of law enforcement institutions in the United States, with the circumstances surrounding the investigation likely to remain a subject of political and legal scrutiny.
