President Donald Trump, campaigning for Republican candidates at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, referred to Minnesota as “Somalia-land” while attacking the state’s large Somalian immigrant community, then immediately distinguished it from Somaliland.
In remarks at the rally, Trump said: “I call it Somalia land, not Somaliland, because actually it’s a totally different country. Some people like Somaliland. It has nothing to do, you know that, has nothing to do. I said, you got to be kidding. I think they should change the name immediately.”
The comments came amid a broader attack on Somalian immigrants in Minnesota, which Trump has repeatedly described as being “destroyed” or “taken over,” citing fraud cases, crime, and other issues. He linked the topic to Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, and criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali-born U.S. citizen. Crowd members chanted “deport” during portions of the speech.
Trump’s Youngstown comments distinguish the name and entity of Somaliland from the Somalian diaspora issues he criticizes in Minnesota. However, they do not constitute formal diplomatic recognition or a change in U.S. policy. In late December 2025, after Israel’s
Somaliland’s leaders have sought U.S. recognition, offering strategic assets such as access related to the port of Berbera, and some Republican lawmakers have introduced supportive legislation. The Trump administration has not shifted official policy yet.