Minnesota leaders are reacting after President Donald Trump posted a statement about the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota.
The president’s Truth Social post on Thursday referred to the violence in the state, which has been widely discussed after law enforcement tied a shooting at an Eden Prairie football game, shots fired at an Eden Prairie gas station and a shooting in Bloomington to Somali gang activity.
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Trump also directly called out state and local elected officials.
Gov. Tim Walz said in response, “The President’s deranged social media posts can’t distract from the fact that he’s losing a war and driving up costs. He’s lashing out at blue states because he can’t land a punch on America’s actual enemies.”
Minneapolis City Council member Jamal Osman also released the following statement:
“Mr. President, Somali Minnesotans are your constituents, too. Your responsibility to protect them is no different from your responsibility to protect any other American.
“The Somali American families you are talking about want what families across this country want: a safe neighborhood, an honest living, and a better future for their children. They deserve a president who recognizes that their safety matters too.
“I believe people who break the law should be held accountable. I believe victims deserve justice. And I believe no one should have to answer for someone else’s wrongdoing because they share a faith or a heritage. Those principles belong together.
“When a president tells people to “fight back” while singling out an entire community, those words carry consequences.
“A child should never have to walk into school wondering whether the president has given someone permission to treat them as an enemy.
“Our country has seen this pattern before: neighbors portrayed as outsiders, whole communities treated as suspect – Americans asked to prove they belong.
“That history calls on us to speak up now.
“I will work with anyone to prevent violence and keep our neighborhoods safe. And I will stand up to anyone who puts our neighbors at risk.
“Both are part of the job I was elected to do.
“To Somali American families across Minnesota: this is your home. You belong here. Your children have every right to help shape this country’s future.
“I am proud to be Somali American. I am proud to serve Minneapolis. And I will keep defending the promise of equal dignity and equal protection for every one of our neighbors.
“Mr. President, your responsibility extends to all of us. We deserve leadership that honors it.”
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