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- By Levi Rickert
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Native Vote. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Nation and a candidate for the U.S. Senate, is facing backlash from right-wing commentators after wearing a hijab during a visit to a mosque this month, a gesture she said was meant to show respect and solidarity with Muslim communities amid growing concerns about religious intolerance and hate.
In a video released on Christmas and aired on SomaliTV of Minnesota and later posted to YouTube, Flanagan is seen wearing a hijab while speaking in defense of Minnesota’s Somali community, which has been the target of repeated attacks by President Donald Trump.
At a cabinet meeting Tuesday, Trump said he does not want Somali people in the United States.
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“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country. Their country is no good for a reason. Your country stinks and we don’t want them in our country,” Trump said.
Flanagan, who has served as an elected official in Minnesota for more than a decade — first as a state representative and now as lieutenant governor — expressed a sharply different view.
“I am incredibly clear that the Somali community is part of the fabric of the state of Minnesota,” Flanagan said while speaking at Karmel Mall in Minneapolis alongside local officials.
Her remarks come as federal immigration agents have stepped up arrests of people in the country illegally who are linked to serious crimes in the Twin Cities area, and as Minnesota continues to see ongoing fraud investigations.
Flanagan, who identifies as Catholic on her campaign website, sought to reassure members of the Somali community during her visit.
“We’ve got your back,” she said. “Things are scary right now, and just know that there are more people who are looking out for you than you know.”
The appearance drew swift criticism online from some pro-Trump commentators. Far-right activist and former congressional candidate Laura Loomer wrote, “Any politician who embraces Islam must be removed from office.” Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon also criticized the visit, writing that it amounted to Christians and Catholics “bending the knee” to appease what he described as an “entitled Somalian thug ethos.”
Muslim women say wearing a hijab is both a personal expression of faith and, for many, a religious obligation, though practices vary. Advocates note that misunderstandings about the garment have often fueled discrimination.
Flanagan said the visit reinforced her commitment to opposing hate and supporting religious freedom.
“Minnesota’s strength is its diversity,” she said. “Everyone deserves to feel safe practicing their faith and living openly as who they are.”
The visit comes as state and local leaders nationwide grapple with rising hate crimes and efforts to build trust across communities. For Flanagan, she said, that work begins with showing up.
“While the lieutenant governor was showing her support for small businesses and communities being terrorized by ICE, she was handed a scarf by a friend and briefly wore it out of respect,” said Alexandra Fetissoff, a spokesperson for Flanagan.
“The real outrage should not be a scarf, but masked men throwing American citizens into vans and violating the Constitution,” Fetissoff said.
Flanagan is running in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Tina Smith, who is not seeking reelection in November 2026. Her main opponent is U.S. Rep. Angie Craig.
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