Overview
- Speaking in the Oval Office with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said Democrats “have no leader” and “remind me of Somalia.”
- He recounted that he asked Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to “take back” Rep. Ilhan Omar and said Mohamud declined, presenting the exchange as his own account.
- The remarks came as parts of the federal government remain closed after the Senate rejected a House-passed stopgap bill that would have funded agencies through November 21.
- Trump said the shutdown allows his team to cut “billions in waste, fraud, and abuse” and to identify programs for permanent elimination, praising budget director Russ Vought.
- A White House spokesperson previously said she was not aware of direct outreach by the president to Democrats to end the standoff, describing negotiations as routed through congressional allies.