MINNEAPOLIS: President Donald Trump is facing criticism after sharing a social media post featuring Somali American kindergarten students in Minnesota, a move that has intensified concerns over rising anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric in the state.
The 14-second video, originally posted by another social media account, showed children singing during a kindergarten graduation ceremony at Gateway STEM Academy in St. Paul. Most of the girls in the video were wearing hijabs, prompting the original post to comment on their attire. Trump reshared the clip on his Truth Social account, where it quickly spread across social media.
Following the repost, the school and members of Minnesota’s Somali community reported receiving hateful messages, including abusive emails, phone calls, and online comments targeting the children and their families. Community leaders said the incident heightened fears among Somali Americans, who believe political rhetoric is increasingly placing their community under public scrutiny.
The controversy comes amid months of heightened attention on Minnesota’s Somali community. Federal investigations into large-scale fraud involving several nonprofit organizations and public assistance programs have fueled political debate, with congressional hearings examining whether state officials failed to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds. While many of those charged in the investigations are of Somali origin, law enforcement officials have consistently focused on individual suspects rather than the broader community.
Civil rights advocates argue that political messaging surrounding the investigations has contributed to an atmosphere in which innocent Somali Americans face harassment and discrimination. They contend that sharing videos of children because of their religious dress risks reinforcing harmful stereotypes against Muslims and immigrants.
Supporters of the President, however, have defended his focus on Minnesota, arguing that the state has experienced significant fraud within publicly funded programs and that immigration and integration policies deserve greater public scrutiny. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly called for stronger oversight and accountability following several high-profile fraud prosecutions.
The incident underscores the growing intersection of politics, immigration, and social media in the United States. As investigations into public fraud continue and political tensions rise ahead of upcoming elections, Minnesota has become a focal point in the national debate over accountability, immigration policy, and the treatment of minority communities.
For many Somali American families, however, the issue has become deeply personal. Community leaders say the children featured in the graduation video should not become symbols in a broader political battle, urging public officials to distinguish between legitimate investigations into alleged fraud and the rights and dignity of law-abiding citizens.
