Ilhan Omar on Fixing US Foreign Policy | Working Capital

Of all of the entities in America, Congress is among the lowest rated, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, you guys have a lower rating than the media, which is really saying something. We'll go this way. People don't like you guys. And, you know, are justified in saying that Congress doesn't get a lot done. Yeah. Right? So why run for Congress? Why be a part of that body? And I guess, what's your theory of how to be effective in that role? Yeah, I mean, I think Congress can be a source for good. You know, we have the power or the purse. We direct federal dollars to policies that are, you know, important to all of our communities. And I think having new voices at the table means new problems will get addressed. As the first Somali American and one of the first Muslim women in Congress, Ilhan Omar would be polarizing even if she never opened her mouth. But silence is not her style. It's been a crazy, like, five years. Yeah. To be in Congress. One of the original members of The Squad, Omar, has been one of the leading voices of a progressive wing, trying to pull the Democratic party left on a wide range of issues. Despite receiving an extraordinary number of death threats and a torrent of hate speech and false smears, including from the former president, she strolls around her district with ease. Hey, Javier. Hello. How are you? Hi. How are you, sir? Continuously approached by constituents who share their encouragement. Hey. And their problems. We keep wanting to protect dirt on the ground. Instead of allowing cars to be parked. And as the election approaches, I'm interested to know how she manages the balance between the progressive demands of her district and her party's prospects for success in November. So thanks for doing this. Yeah, of course. Thank you all for coming out to Minneapolis. We started our day with a lunch date with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Who, along with Omar, helped turn the state Somali Community into a political force to be reckoned with. Has Ellison been something of a mentor? Yes and an inspiration. You know, he was a first in many regards, he was the first black person to be elected in our state to Congress, and obviously, the first Muslim ever. And so it's been really helpful watching his journey. Keith. Hey, how's it going? So Keith and I always remember the number of votes we increase because it means a great deal to us. When did you guys meet? I was a nutrition educator with the University of Minnesota Central Department at the time, so... I've been politically organizing since I was 14. But my focus was always, you know, school board, city council. So things that had a direct impact on, like, my life, day-to-day life. And the day-to-day lives of the people in my community that I cared about. Like I know the need and still do my work as if it's addressing potholes. When I ran for Congress in 2006, it was a interesting shift because before that, you know, my predecessor was a little bit more in sort of a mainstream groove. And we had to expand... The electorate. The electorate. And all she's done is expand it even further. And so the Somali Community, for example, wasn't nearly as established as it is now. Would you agree with that? Yeah, I mean, and I think that when, you know, one of his expansion projects electorally was tapping into the Somali Community, we were all new to this country, new citizens. I think it is between the age of 18 to 25 that has actually ever experienced being born in a democracy of the Somalis that are here, right? Yeah. So the rest of us were either born in a colonized Somalia or Somalia under dictatorship. Right. And so the eagerness in wanting to participate. Yeah. Is something that you desperately forever thought it was possible. Right, right. Because it's also, was always regarded as like the first democracy in Africa too, right? Like so they got a taste of it after independence and then completely lost it. Right. And so that eagerness, like, that's how I got involved at 14 'cause my grandfather was, like, "There's something called Caucasus that's happening." And like, it sounds like- I'll go. There's democracy, please take me, right? You know, my grandfather used to say like, "We love democracy in a way that most people can't even comprehend." Right. "Because it's been denied to us for so long." I'm Olive, I'll be your server today. I'll do the corn pancake. I do the pineapple pancake. That's a favorite. I'll do that as well. Alright. Thank you. Eat well. Syrup. Being refugee, how does all that form your view of what's happening now in the Middle East? Having experienced war at a such a young age, 'cause I was eight when the war took place. And it's not something that leaves you. It messes with your sense of security. You've got, you know, issues with dark places, you've got issues with noise. 'Cause our house was stuck between the two fighting fractions. And so it was just the constant, like, every day waiting, your house is next to be hit, right? And as a kid, I would... I was, like, the smallest so they would, like, try to have me sleep closest to the wall. So if it collapsed, I could be dragged out of it. So the images out of Gaza are like mortifying. And it makes me so sad that everyone else does not react to dead bodies being dragged out of the rubble. Like that doesn't cost them the same reaction because these are not people that they can relate to or seen as victims. Because we all know what the reaction was in Ukraine. Are you disappointed by the president? I am shocked in our president who has severe empathy in a lot of spaces that we have not seen that level of empathy. And I have a lot of constituents who have lost family members in Gaza. And so they would like the president to hold space. Mm-hmm. For the fact that they are losing so many lives. Mm-hmm. With no end in sight. Mm-hmm. I mean, you've had to deal with criticisms and accusations that you are anti-Semitic before, right? And as the protests have heated up on college campuses, where is the line between being appropriately critical of Netanyahu, appropriately critical of the US and our posture towards Israel and antisemitism? I mean, I do believe that criticizing governments, their leaders. Mm-hmm. Their unjust wars. Have nothing to do with hate and bigotry. And I think it's sad that people conflate the two, but I understand why, it's to stifle debate. It just seems that, like, you know, you said that it's just to shut down the conversation, right? And the debate. Yeah. But a lot of the reaction, a lot of the fear about antisemitism right now is just listening to what some of the rhetoric is at some of these demonstrations. Data shows antisemitism is on the rise. Yeah. There are people who are antisemitic. Yeah. Who take the opportunities when these kind of demonstrations are taking place to showcase they are antisemitism. What I see mostly happening though is people who are critical of the way in which Israel is waging this war. So to take what is happening outside of the college universities and to make the story is problematic. And the only reason that that's happening is because the media doesn't want to cover what these protestors are actually about. Mm-hmm. Which is to say Israel has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza. We need to know if our universities, that we pay, and our government, who uses our tax dollars, is complicit or not. Right. And that is not where the conversation is being had. Mm-hmm. And so that's... To me, that's the thing that is frustrating. Right, right. And so when you make it about the bigoted antisemitism that is out there by, you know, one or two persons carrying a poster or screaming crazy things. Mm-hmm. And you stamp that on top of a mass movement of young people, hundreds in different colleges. Mm-hmm. You have made a choice. Mm-hmm. To conflate what is happening at a random protest to what is happening at an organized one. Where people are trying to send an actual message because you are now choosing not to send that message. Right. And you are now siding with the people who are actively trying to dilute that message. Right. And that is where my anger and frustration is because there are lives being lost right now. Right. We need these young people's advocacy. We need our president to listen. We need these universities to divest. Yeah. Right? We need members of Congress not to vote on sending offensive weapons while Israel is being accused of committing genocide without conditions. I'm honored to have her be my successor. Wouldn't be able to pick anybody, but I don't think anyone could do a better job, and her courage is an inspiration. Just a 10-minute walk from Omar's congressional office is the site where in 2020, George Floyd was murdered at the hands of police officers. It was a moment that put Omar at the center of a national call for racial justice. Not only geographically but also politically, as a progressive voice with a national platform who supported replacing the Minneapolis Police Department. With a new public safety agency. The majority of the people in Minneapolis- Don't trust- the Minneapolis police. And when you have an institution that has lost the trust of the people it's supposed to serve, then you have to make a big decision on what you do with that institution. This place was innovated with flowers and obviously, became a grieving site. Yeah. For current and past trauma. How do you view your role when your community is dealing with a murder? It's to create space for them. Creating communal spaces was not only healing for the trauma that people were experiencing because of what they witnessed. Yeah. But also what it triggered. But we also know that when Lake Street burned down and Cub Foods was looted and Target, those were the only food sources. And so my campaign office wasn't that far away, so we turned the parking lot into food distribution site and distribution for medicine and, you know, essentials that people needed, diapers. Yeah. Hi, how are you? I'm great. Good, good. You need a camera crew to come through the neighborhood? No. You should be in here all the time. Police officers, they need to be more understanding. Yeah You know, and us Native Americans, we were here first. Nobody in that building looks like me. Nobody looks like him. Nobody looks like you in that building. But they look like them. So I imagine when you're walking through the community, a lot of people have complaints that you cannot address as a member of the federal government, right? Yeah. So how do you, like, deal with making those people feel heard without condescending? How do you deal with that? That is why we make our rounds. Yeah. To be in the community and have the conversations. I think it's easier for me because, you know, I used to work at a municipal level. Yeah. And I also was a state rep, so I kind of know where the buckets of what needs to get done is. And like, once we sit down and have a conversation, it becomes easy to find a solution. I'm curious, like, of all of the entities in America, Congress is among the lowest rated, right? I mean, you guys have a lower rating than the media, which is really saying something. We'll go this way. People don't like you guys and, you know, are justified in saying that Congress doesn't get a lot done. Yeah. Right? So why run for Congress? Why be a part of that body? And, I guess, what's your theory of how to be effective in that role? Yeah, I mean I think Congress can be a source for good. You know, we have the power of the purse. We direct federal dollars to policies that are, you know, important to all of our communities. And I think having new voices at the table means new problems will get addressed. Mm-hmm. And that is kind of why I ran for office because I knew that if I wanted to see a be a more better, more equitable world, then I needed to have a seat at the table. Mm-hmm. And be part of the solution instead of just discussing problems. And I think for Congress' part in the way that the public views it, it's only the fights that are oftentimes talked about in the media. Mm-hmm. Never about the collaborative work that we all do together, right? Nearly 90% of the pieces of legislation we pass are bipartisan. Mm-hmm. And so it is our job as representatives to make that palatable for our constituents. So where are we now? So this is a memorial that has the names of folks... The ones that wanted... The families that wanted to have their names displayed, folks that have been killed by police throughout the country. So like Aiyana Jones that was in Detroit. Philando Castile. I see. It reminds people that the problem's bigger than the few that we get super outraged about. Yeah. It's Freddie Gray. Yeah. In Baltimore, I remember that. In Baltimore, yeah. It looks like Arlington. Yeah. Like a actual grave site In terms of like DC and what a weird little bubble it is there. It's a weird place. When I'm in DC I keep my head down, do the work and go home. I'm not a... You know, somebody who like lingers too much in the drama that takes place in DC. That's how I keep my sanity, I suppose. Yeah. And then I come home and I get recharged because, you know, to represent the district that you grew up in, people who have taken you in, it's always helpful. Good to see you. How you doin'? Good, good. This woman here. Whoo! How are you, dear? Oh. So you are this popular. These aren't all paid actors, I assume. People seem to really know you here. Yeah, my family was in the country for two years before we moved here. And not only did our neighbors welcomed us, but they were very much invested in seeing us thrive. Yeah. And be deeply rooted. So was Congress... I mean, you were in politics already obviously, and you are an informed person, but was it different than you thought it would be when you got there? I mean, our class, we were sworn in doing a shutdown. We were walked into insurrection. We had a presidential impeachment. The pandemic. It's been a crazy, like, five years. Yeah. To be in Congress. Can you talk to me a bit about The Squad? Like what is it, is it a real squad? Do you guys hang out? We are friends, yes. Okay. Are you... Is there a group chat? There is a group chat. Really? Yes. How active is the group chat? Very. We visit each other's districts. I mean, Ayanna has been here the most. Rashida comes often. Cori has been here. We wanna know about each other's districts and what motivates so it does help us support one another. As we ended our time together with a conversation at Omar's congressional office in the heart of South Minneapolis. And here is my office. I wanted her assessment of the Democratic Party, and where she sees herself fitting in as they head to the November election. It's too close. We don't each other that well yet. What's your biggest worry looking ahead to November? I'm worried about some of the policy decisions that have been made, and the kind of impact that they can have. Are you talking about on foreign policy? Not just foreign policy. I mean this ban on TikTok, some of the border conversations. I think when the lines blur between what we are fighting for and what the Republicans are fighting for, we tend to see worrisome trends in the conversations that voters that should be on our side are starting to have. When you have a situation where day to day, people are struggling, right? People are struggling to pay their bills. And then you add into that controversial positions that are at risk of kind of splitting up the Democratic coalition. Right. It seems like a recipe for low turnout, and then when you add in third party candidates, right? Into this near evenly divided electorate, it just, it seems pretty dicey. It does seem pretty dicey. More dicey than 2020. Mm-hmm. It almost dangerously feels like '16. But I do believe that ultimately, we are the better party for America. And we have to find a way to articulate that to our voting base. In general, not just as it relates to the election, but what does keep you up at night? Wars overseas. I wanna see a different world where people are not choosing to engage in war when they can choose to invest in the lives of their communities. If I could wave a magic wand, it would be to end the suffering that is caused by war and bad governance, but also to help people in this country have the services that they need through their tax dollars and not have those dollars go to the creation and the sustentation of wars. Do you think that America is a force for good in the world? We can be. We can be. I always tell the story of people who would be around my dad's age. And their first introduction to Americans coming over to their country was through the Peace Corps. Hearing about people volunteering in villages, doing literacy work. And now, the first introduction is through one of our drones or military deployment. And that doesn't buy us goodwill. That doesn't show that we can be a force of good. A lot of people see us as a beacon of hope. Our democracy is a model for the world. There are exceptional things about our country, and we can choose to do foreign policy in the right way, one that is helpful. Or we can choose to carry out foreign policy that is harmful. And it doesn't look like we've found a way to do foreign policy that is not harmful yet.