On October 29, 2025, Sen. Ted Cruz’s “Verdict” podcast featured a compelling endorsement from Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a prominent Somali-born author and activist, urging the United States to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation.
This call was echoed and supported by Somaliland’s U.S. envoy, Bashir Goth, who expressed deep appreciation for the leadership and advocacy of both Sen. Cruz and Hirsi Ali.
Sen. Cruz initiated the conversation by reaffirming his previous public appeal to the Trump administration to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence, challenging viewers to consider the strategic implications of such a move.
Hirsi Ali responded with enthusiasm, emphasizing Somaliland’s significant achievements. She described Somaliland as a cohesive nation with a homogenous population, a common language, and a shared history of resilience and survival.
Hirsi Ali praised Somaliland’s leaders for shifting the populace’s focus from retribution to building a stable, economically sustainable state, in stark contrast to Somalia’s ongoing mishaps and its leadership’s lack of clear vision for societal development. She highlighted Somaliland’s potential as a strategic ally, citing its natural resources such as oil and minerals, and its alignment with U.S. and Israeli interests.
A key point she made was Somaliland’s strong democratic framework, which includes regular and fair elections that she suggested might even surpass some U.S. electoral processes. Additionally, she noted Somaliland’s independence from U.S. developmental aid, contrasting it with the jihadist challenges plaguing Somalia and Mogadishu.
Somaliland should be liberated from the turmoil of Somalia and Mogadishu, which remain plagued by jihadist instability,” Ayaan Hirsi Ali concluded
Aligning with Hirsi Ali’s views, Sen. Cruz stressed that recognizing Somaliland would serve America’s national security interests and its “America First” doctrine. He portrayed Somaliland as a crucial ally in the Horn of Africa, capable of standing with the U.S. against regional threats and instability.
Bashir Goth, Somaliland’s representative in the U.S., praised the discussion and expressed gratitude via Twitter, thanking Hirsi Ali for her candid and factual insights and Sen. Cruz for his ongoing leadership. His message read, “Thank you @Ayaan for your honest and factual testimony. Somaliland is grateful to you and to @tedcruz for your continued leadership.”
This podcast discussion builds upon Hirsi Ali’s earlier op-ed in The American Mind from September 2025, which underscored Somaliland’s strategic role in combating extremism and enhancing U.S. partnerships in the Horn of Africa region.
Together, the perspectives of Sen. Cruz, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Bashir Goth make a strong argument for Somaliland’s recognition, emphasizing its democratic successes, strategic significance, and compatibility with American interests.