Trump ramps up anti-immigrant rhetoric, embraces ‘s—hole countries’ phrase

President Donald Trump delivered a fiery speech on Tuesday night, targeting Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and immigrants from certain countries. The speech, initially intended to focus on his economic agenda, quickly turned into a campaign-style event filled with derogatory comments.

Trump specifically singled out Rep. Omar, mispronouncing her name and referring to her hijab as a turban. He criticized her for what he perceived as constant complaining and suggested that she should leave the country. This led to his supporters chanting “send her back,” highlighting the divisive rhetoric present in his speech.

In response, Rep. Omar took to social media to denounce Trump’s remarks, calling his obsession with her “beyond weird” and labeling him a national embarrassment. This exchange is just the latest in a series of attacks by Trump against the congresswoman and Somali immigrants.

During his speech, Trump also revisited a controversial 2018 meeting where he allegedly referred to certain countries as “s—hole countries.” Despite initially denying the use of such language, he now proudly embraced it, insisting that the U.S. should prioritize immigrants from countries like Norway over places he deemed as “disasters” such as Haiti, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

The contentious nature of Trump’s speech underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and the broader issue of race relations in the United States. As the 2025 election season approaches, it is clear that these issues will continue to play a central role in shaping the national conversation.

This article was written with contributions from ABC News’ Justin Gomez and Alexandra Hutzler.