Deleted 2013 Omar Father's Day tweet cited amid federal probe and claims about ex-husband
An archived, since-deleted 2013 tweet in which Rep. Ilhan Omar called her father "Nur Said" has drawn attention amid a federal investigation. The name resembles that of her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi; Omar denies he is her brother, and the allegation remains unproven.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2A June 2013 post from Rep. Ilhan Omar's account, then Twitter and now X, read "Happy Father's Day to my aabo Nur Said", and is no longer available at its original URL. Just the NewsRC “"Happy Father’s Day to my aabo Nur Said, I am forever grateful to Allah for giving me the best father …," Omar stated in the June 2013 post, which was deleted in 2019” Read at Just the News ↗ NewsweekN “The post is no longer available at its original URL.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Just the News, citing Fox News, says the post was deleted in 2019 and was first reported on by the Daily Caller that year; Newsweek says it has not established when or why it was removed. Just the NewsRC “An archived version of the post, first reported on by the Daily Caller in 2019” Read at Just the News ↗ NewsweekN “Newsweek has not established when or why it was removed.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1The post has resurfaced because of a federal investigation into allegations that Omar made false statements on immigration and naturalization documents. Just the NewsRC “has received new attention as a federal investigation has been launched into allegations Omar made false statements on immigration and naturalization documents” Read at Just the News ↗
Centre · 1The name "Nur Said" resembles that of Omar's former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, and the commentators Libs of TikTok and Benny Johnson circulated the post; Johnson wrote, "If she has nothing to hide, why is she deleting everything?" NewsweekN “MAGA commentators Libs of TikTok and Benny Johnson have circulated the post and pointed to the name's similarity to that of Omar's former husband”“"If she has nothing to hide, why is she deleting everything? It’s about to get bad for Ilhan," wrote Johnson.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Other records, including a 2020 Congressional Black Caucus statement and a 2020 memorial post, identify her father as "Nur Omar Mohamed". Just the NewsRC “A memorial post in 2020, as well as several other records, refer to Omar's father as "Nur Omar Mohamed."” Read at Just the News ↗ NewsweekN “An official Congressional Black Caucus statement issued after Omar’s father died in 2020 identified him as Nur Omar Mohamed.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets note that Somali names usually include the father's and paternal grandfather's given names, and Just the News adds that the similarity of names does not by itself confirm a familial relationship. Just the NewsRC “The similarity between names by itself does not confirm a familial relationship.” Read at Just the News ↗ NewsweekN “In a common Somali naming convention, a child's name may incorporate their father's and paternal grandfather's given names.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek reports that court filings this month identified Omar as "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar"; Omar told reporters, "My name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar." NewsweekN “Court filings earlier this month show investigators identified the Minnesota Democrat as "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar."”“"My name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar."” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Federal agents searched Omar's Washington home on October 12, and a source told Newsweek investigators obtained a DNA sample and spoke voluntarily with her sister, Sahra Noor. NewsweekN “Federal agents searched Omar's Washington home on October 12 following months of scrutiny, and investigators have obtained a sample of her DNA” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1President Trump called on Omar to resign, claiming the filing showed she used a false name; Newsweek says the filing does not by itself establish that, and that no court has found she committed immigration fraud. NewsweekN “Trump on Thursday called for Omar to resign, claiming the filing showed she had used a false name when she was sworn into Congress.”“no court has found that Omar committed immigration fraud” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1The claim that Elmi is Omar's brother and that they married to secure him a green card is longstanding and unproven; Newsweek traces it to an August 2016 anonymous post on the Somali Spot forum that gave no evidence, as reported by the Daily Beast in 2019. NewsweekN “Omar has faced longstanding yet unproven allegations that Said Elmi was her brother and their marriage was concocted in a bid to secure him a green card.”“The outlet reported that "AbdiJohnson" provided no evidence for the allegation” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Elmi, a British citizen, was married to Omar from 2009 until 2017, according to Newsweek. NewsweekN “Elmi, a British citizen, was married to Omar from 2009 until 2017.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Omar has repeatedly denied that Elmi is her brother or that the marriage was fraudulent, has said she is not related to him "to my knowledge", and calls the investigation politically motivated. NewsweekN “Omar has repeatedly denied Said Elmi is her brother and that their marriage was fraudulent.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Just the NewsRC “Omar has denied any wrongdoing and argues the investigation is politically motivated.” Read at Just the News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek reports the tweet as something conservative commentators are circulating, surrounded by extensive context on the unproven origin of the allegation and Omar's denials.
- Emphasis
- Origin of the claim on Somali Spot, Omar's denials, the court filing's limits, and that no court has found fraud.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not say the post was deleted in 2019 or cite the Daily Caller's earlier report.
- Charged language
- “MAGA commentators”“desperate smear”
- For example
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“Conservative commentators have questioned why a social media post in which U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar appeared to refer to her father as "Nur Said" is no longer on her timeline” — Newsweek
“Her spokesperson has previously described the allegation that the two are related as a "desperate smear"” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Just the News presents the deleted tweet as a possible clue to the alleged marriage to her brother, in a short piece.
- Emphasis
- The name similarity and the 2019 deletion, with a closing caveat that the similarity does not confirm kinship.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the court filing, Trump's resignation call, the origin of the allegation and the search of Omar's home.
- Charged language
- “may offer a clue”“alleged marriage to her brother”
- For example
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“Deleted tweet from Rep. Omar may offer a clue on alleged marriage to her brother” — Just the News
“The similarity between names by itself does not confirm a familial relationship.” — Just the News
What every side reports
- Omar's June 2013 tweet referred to her father as "Nur Said" and is no longer at its original URL.
- Other records identify her father as Nur Omar Mohamed.
- Somali naming conventions mean similar names don't alone establish kinship.
- Omar denies wrongdoing and calls the investigation politically motivated.
- A federal investigation is ongoing.
Where accounts differ
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What the deleted tweet suggests
- Centre
- Newsweek says conservative commentators question the deletion, but stresses the allegation is unproven, that the removal's timing and reason are unestablished, and that Omar denies it.
- Right
- Just the News says the tweet "may offer a clue" to the alleged marriage to her brother, while noting the name similarity does not confirm kinship.
Ilhan Omar person
Omar denies wrongdoing, says she is not related to Elmi "to my knowledge", says her name is Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, and calls the investigation politically motivated.
“Asked by Hayes whether she was related to Elmi, Omar replied: "Not to my knowledge."” — Newsweek
“Omar has denied any wrongdoing and argues the investigation is politically motivated.” — Just the News
Ahmed Nur Said Elmi person
Elmi is described as Omar's former husband (2009-2017), a British citizen and a doctoral researcher at the University of Bristol; no statement from him is reported.
“Elmi, a British citizen, was married to Omar from 2009 until 2017.” — Newsweek
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Ilhan Omar Deleted Father's Day Message Comes Under Scrutiny
Neutral Contextual explainer on the resurfaced tweet that foregrounds the lack of evidence and Omar's denials.
Right1 article
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Deleted tweet from Rep. Omar may offer a clue on alleged marriage to her brother
Mixed Short report presenting the deleted tweet as a possible clue to the alleged sibling marriage, with a caveat on name similarity.
- 26 Oct 13:52 First Just the NewsRC Deleted tweet from Rep. Omar may offer a clue on alleged marriage to her brother
- 26 Oct 14:16 +24m NewsweekN Ilhan Omar Deleted Father's Day Message Comes Under Scrutiny
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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