标签： Africa

President Donald Trump has sparked controversy with explicit remarks regarding Somali immigrants during a cabinet meeting, stating he does not want them in the United States and suggesting they should return to their country of origin. The comments came alongside revelations of planned immigration enforcement operations targeting Minnesota’s substantial Somali community.

Speaking candidly to reporters, Trump characterized Somalia as lacking structure and described accepting immigrants from such nations as bringing ‘garbage’ into the country. ‘I don’t want them in our country,’ Trump emphasized, dismissing concerns about political correctness. His remarks extended to criticism of Representative Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American congresswoman, whom he labeled as incompetent and hateful.

The verbal attacks coincided with reports from CBS News that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been directed to conduct targeted operations against undocumented Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities area. While federal officials denied targeting based on race or ethnicity, stating enforcement focuses solely on immigration status, local authorities expressed concerns about potential violations of due process and the sweeping up of American citizens.

Minnesota hosts one of the largest Somali communities globally, with approximately 80,000 residents of Somali descent, most of whom are U.S. citizens. The planned enforcement follows recent tragic events in Washington DC, where a shooting incident involving National Guard members prompted intensified immigration crackdowns. The administration also considers ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali residents, affecting several hundred immigrants.

Local leaders and officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have condemned both the rhetoric and planned operations, arguing that indiscriminate targeting undermines legitimate law enforcement efforts and community trust.

In a development that has left regional experts questioning conventional coup narratives, Guinea-Bissau’s political landscape has been dramatically reshaped by what some are calling a ‘ceremonial coup.’ The events unfolded last Wednesday when military personnel seized control of key government institutions, detained President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and suspended the electoral process just days after presidential elections.

The military intervention occurred under highly unusual circumstances that have prompted widespread skepticism among political analysts and regional leaders. While soldiers occupied the presidential palace and state television stations—classic coup indicators—the subsequent events deviated markedly from standard military takeover protocols. President Embaló maintained communication with international media during his detention and was permitted to depart for Senegal on a military flight within 24 hours of his arrest, an exceptionally rapid release unprecedented in recent African coup history.

Compounding the mystery, the newly installed military leader, General Horta N’Tam, had been widely regarded as a close ally of the deposed president. The military leadership has vehemently rejected the term ‘coup,’ instead claiming their actions prevented a destabilization plot backed by unnamed politicians and a known drug baron. Meanwhile, attackers destroyed the electoral commission’s main server, effectively eliminating any possibility of verifying the presidential election results that were scheduled for release the day after the military intervention.

Regional reactions have been notably skeptical. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who was observing the elections, characterized the events as a ‘ceremonial coup’ rather than a genuine military takeover. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko similarly dismissed the situation as a ‘sham,’ prompting Embaló’s abrupt departure from Senegal to Congo-Brazzaville.

The political context reveals deeper tensions. President Embaló had previously dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament in 2023 following another alleged coup attempt, ruling without legislative oversight. His main electoral opponent, Fernando Dias da Costa, had been backed by former Prime Minister Domingos Pereira, who was controversially disqualified from the presidential race. Both Embaló and Dias had claimed victory in the election before the military intervention.

Public response has been divided, with some citizens welcoming military intervention while others protest demanding transparency. Hundreds demonstrated calling for Pereira’s release and the publication of election results, while civil society groups have initiated strikes and civil disobedience campaigns. The country now faces an uncertain future under a transitional military government that promises to rule for one year before restoring civilian governance.

The Pentagon has ushered in a new era of media relations under Defense Department chief Pete Hegseth, with Tuesday’s briefing demonstrating a dramatic shift from traditional press interactions. Kingsley Wilson, the newly appointed press secretary, conducted her first briefing under controversial new rules that have effectively excluded most nonpartisan news organizations in favor of conservative-leaning outlets.

The briefing revealed a transformed dynamic where questions ranged from softball inquiries to performative exchanges, with Wilson consistently adhering to administration talking points while occasionally criticizing legacy media. This transition follows Hegseth’s implementation of new credentialing rules that mainstream outlets argue severely limit press freedom and critical reporting capabilities.

Among the topics addressed were sensitive military operations, including scrutiny over U.S. strikes on suspected drug courier boats off South America. When questioned about reports that a secondary strike killed two survivors from an initial attack, Wilson emphasized that President Trump and Defense Secretary fully authorized all actions taken by Admiral Frank Bradley.

The session grew particularly contentious when addressing The Washington Post’s reporting that Hegseth had issued a verbal order to ‘kill everybody’ on one targeted boat. Wilson aggressively dismissed the publication, suggesting readers ‘should think twice about reading that outlet again,’ while hinting at potential legal action against the newspaper.

Notable participants included former Congressman Matt Gaetz, now credentialed for One America News, who inquired about Pentagon plans for Venezuela should President Trump oust Nicolás Maduro. Wilson’s evasive responses to several substantive questions drew criticism from veteran journalists observing remotely.

Barbara Starr, retired CNN Pentagon correspondent, noted that while reporters asked ‘very good, pointed, on-the-news questions,’ they largely ‘didn’t get good answers.’ Starr characterized the event as journalistically unsound due to the exclusion of major news organizations.

The briefing also featured supportive questions from conservative commentators, including James O’Keefe, who asked about rooting out ‘disloyal Pentagon employees’—a query Wilson praised as ‘important work.’

The Defense Department has explicitly stated that future briefings will be for ‘invited press only,’ signaling a permanent departure from traditional Pentagon press relations and raising concerns about transparency in military reporting.

Tunisian security forces detained distinguished human rights attorney Ayachi Hammami at his residence near the capital on Tuesday, executing a five-year prison sentence mandated last week in a highly controversial state security case. The arrest marks the latest escalation in President Kais Saied’s comprehensive campaign against political opposition in the North African nation.

Hammami stands among approximately forty individuals—including prominent politicians and business leaders—who received prison terms ranging from two to forty-five years in the same alleged conspiracy case. International human rights organizations have universally condemned the judicial proceedings, with Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International characterizing them as politically motivated maneuvers designed to eliminate dissent.

In a pre-recorded statement released following his detention, Hammami declared an indefinite hunger strike until his freedom is secured. “I will transform the confinement space into which Kais Saied intends to place me into an arena of continued resistance,” the veteran rights defender asserted. “We collectively endure the oppression of this regime—our imperative remains unification against tyranny.”

Fida Hammami, the attorney’s daughter, provided firsthand testimony to The Associated Press, describing the judicial process as fundamentally compromised. “The court that issued this verdict has relinquished all pretense of independence,” she stated, noting the trial featured “baseless allegations and systematic violations of due process standards.”

Her assessment echoes broader concerns about Tunisia’s democratic backsliding since President Saied consolidated power in 2021. The Hammami case coincides with the arrest of Chaima Issa, opposition leader of the National Salvation Front, who received a twenty-year sentence and has similarly initiated a hunger strike protesting her detention by plainclothes officers in an unmarked vehicle.

The Tunisian government maintains these prosecutions constitute essential national security measures against destabilization plots. Official statements repeatedly deny political motivations, framing the cases as necessary protections against threats to state stability.

This developing situation underscores the continuing erosion of civil liberties in the nation that sparked the Arab Spring uprisings, drawing increased international scrutiny toward Saied’s administration and its treatment of government critics.