Representative Ilhan Omar is again coming under online fire after stumbling over the pronunciation of WWII at a past press conference.
The embarrassing clip was recorded January 22, 2025 with Ilhan Omar speaking on repealing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 which Donald Trump had invoked in March of 2025 to begin deporting Venezuelians cartel members living illegally in the U.S., the Daily Mail reports.
🤦♂️ WATCH: Ilhan Omar refers to World War II as “World War Eleven.” pic.twitter.com/pb7c88DGDD
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 27, 2026
During her remarks, Omar read from prepared notes and said: “The last time the Alien Enemies Act was invoked, it was used to detain and deport German, Japanese, Italian immigrants during World War 11.” She quickly caught the mistake and corrected herself, adding: “Oh… two… sorry.”
The footage has been confirmed as genuine, with a C-SPAN recording from a January 2025 press conference showing Omar appearing to reference both World War Two and “World War Eleven” during her remarks.
Despite the immediate correction by Ilhan Omar, the clip has since circulated widely online, prompting sharp criticism and a flood of mocking responses. “How is this a sitting member of Congress?” one user wrote. “I can ask a 5th grader how many world wars there were, and they’d be able to answer it correctly.”
Another critic posted: “This low-IQ clown doesn’t know American history. That’s not a simple blunder. She’s a puppet reading off a Q card who has no idea what she’s talking about. Typical ignorant liberal who looks down on people. Who doesn’t know the difference between Roman numerals and numbers? Let alone common knowledge of the world’s history.”
Ilhan Omar husband’s California winery suddenly closes amid investigation into her finances https://t.co/fyeWZQ3e1O pic.twitter.com/hMH85gHXwa
— New York Post (@nypost) April 25, 2026
A third added: “Can we really hold this against her? She ‘mistook’ $18k for $30 mil. We already know she can’t count.”
The renewed attention into the World War II gaffe by Ilhan Omar comes amid ongoing scrutiny surrounding her financial disclosures. Earlier this year, James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, sought clarification over what he described as “serious public concerns.”
In a February letter addressed to Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, Comer pointed to filings that appeared to show companies tied to the couple—eStCru LLC and Rose Lake Capital—surging in value from tens of thousands of dollars to as much as $30 million within a single year.
“Given that these companies do not publicly list their investors or where their money comes from, this sudden jump in value raises concerns that unknown individuals may be investing to gain influence with your wife,” Comer wrote.
However, Omar’s office later pushed back, stating the figures were inaccurate. Updated disclosures showed the couple’s assets ranging between roughly $18,000 and $95,000, far below earlier estimates. Her team attributed the discrepancy to accounting mistakes, noting that the filings had relied on outside financial professionals.
“The amended disclosure confirms what we’ve said all along: The congresswoman is not a millionaire,” spokesperson Jacklyn Rogers said.
While the viral clip has drawn heavy criticism, a small number of voices pointed out that similar verbal missteps have occurred across the political spectrum.
