Washington — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a fresh verbal attack on Somalia and Somali Americans, alleging massive fraud in the US state of Minnesota and singling out a prominent Democratic lawmaker.

Speaking at a White House event, Trump claimed that people of Somali origin had stolen at least $19 billion through fraud schemes in Minnesota, a figure that has not been backed by official data. "Somalia is not even a country," he said, adding that if it were, it would be "just about the worst in the world."

The president also targeted Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born US citizen, calling her a "crooked congressman" and questioning her personal wealth and career. "I was told that Ilhan Omar is worth $30 million and she's never had a job," Trump said, without providing evidence.

Trump's remarks came amid ongoing federal investigations into fraud cases in Minnesota, including schemes linked to social welfare and pandemic-era aid programmes. While some suspects in those cases are Somali Americans, law enforcement officials have not confirmed the scale of losses cited by the president.

Democrats and civil rights groups condemned Trump's comments as inflammatory, accusing him of stigmatizing an entire community while politicising criminal investigations.

The White House has defended the president's rhetoric as part of a broader push to tighten immigration controls and crack down on fraud, as debates over enforcement and civil liberties intensify nationwide.