Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is back in the spotlight, and not for her legislative prowess.

The story swirling around Omar involves her second husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, popping up on social media with a flashy lifestyle in Johannesburg, South Africa, while President Donald Trump doubles down on old, unproven claims about their marriage.

Let’s rewind to the beginning of this tangled tale.

Tracing Omar's complex marital history

Omar, originally from Somalia and a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2000, entered a religious marriage with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002.

Despite that union, she legally tied the knot with Elmi, a British citizen, in 2009, while still having children with Hirsi.

The marriage to Elmi ended in separation by 2011, with a legal divorce finalized in 2017.

Elmi's new life in Johannesburg

Fast forward to today, and Elmi, now 40, is apparently living it up in Johannesburg, South Africa, flaunting his escapades online.

Social media snapshots show him sporting a visitor’s badge at the University of the Witwatersrand and mingling at high-end spots in the city.

With a Ph.D. under his belt and a past role as a research assistant at the University of Bristol focusing on gender studies and decolonization, Elmi seems to have carved out an academic path—far from the political storms surrounding his ex-wife.

Trump revives old allegations again

Enter President Trump, who, at a rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2025, couldn’t resist stirring the pot with claims that Omar’s marriage to Elmi was a sham for immigration purposes.

“She married her brother in order to get in, right?” Trump quipped, as reported from the rally, tossing out an accusation that’s never been substantiated.

Let’s be clear: there’s no evidence to back this up, and Omar has repeatedly denied the charge, but Trump’s words keep the rumor mill churning.

Trump's persistent critique of Omar

Trump didn’t stop there, adding fuel to the fire with, “I don't want to see a woman that, you know, marries her brother to get in and then becomes a congressman and does nothing but complain,” as noted in a Politico interview.

While his rhetoric is sharp, it’s worth noting that Omar’s personal history—marrying Hirsi in a civil ceremony at a later unspecified date, divorcing him, and then wedding political aide Tim Mynett in 2020—has long been a lightning rod for conservative critique.

Still, focusing on unproven personal scandals risks drowning out legitimate policy debates, something even Trump supporters might agree deserves more airtime.