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The Daily

Trump Rants: ‘Let Them Go Back to Where They Came From’

December 04, 2025 • 29m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

The Daily examines President Trump's xenophobic attacks on Somali Americans during a cabinet meeting, where he called them 'garbage' and demanded they leave the country. The episode traces how a massive fraud scandal in Minnesota's pandemic aid programs—largely perpetrated by members of the Somali community—became a catalyst for Trump's immigration crackdown, and explores how Minnesota's fear of appearing racist allowed billions in fraud to flourish unchecked.

Trump's Shocking Attack on Somali Americans

During a nationally televised cabinet meeting, President Trump delivered some of his most blatantly xenophobic remarks, specifically targeting Minnesota's Somali American community of 80,000 people. He called them 'garbage,' complained they 'do nothing but bitch,' and said he wanted them to leave the country. The comments have created a climate of terror in Minnesota, where Somalis are well-integrated into politics, business, and healthcare, with many serving in the state legislature.

  • Trump called Somali Americans 'garbage' who 'do nothing but complain' during a cabinet meeting
  • Minnesota is home to approximately 80,000 people of Somali ancestry who are ascendant in politics and business
  • The community has been shell-shocked by the tone and tenor of Trump's comments, even though disparaging remarks weren't entirely surprising
" These aren't people that work. These aren't people that say, let's go, come on, let's make this place great. These are people that do nothing but complain. "
" And we're going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. "
" But when they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch, we don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it. "

Climate of Fear and ICE Deployment

The Trump administration has deployed approximately 100 immigration agents to Minnesota, creating widespread fear in the Somali community. Even American citizens with legal status report being afraid to go to work or the grocery store, worried about both immigration raids and emboldened racist harassment. Immigration lawyers are being flooded with calls from people—including citizens—who report being taunted and harassed on the streets.

  • The administration deployed roughly 100 ICE agents to Minnesota to look for Somalis with deportation orders—a relatively small pool of a few hundred people
  • People with legal status are thinking twice about going to work or the grocery store due to fear of raids
  • The toxic rhetoric has created a 'permission structure' empowering racist harassment and taunting of Somali Americans on the street
" The fear also has become that this prevailing toxic rhetoric about Somalis and Somali culture has empowered people who are racist to do and say things that amount to harassment and hatred. "

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