Ilhan Omar's Daughter Visits Cuba, Defends Trip

Isra Hirsi says she is "honored to be here" amid escalating tensions between Cuba and the U.S.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 12:12am

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Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Democratic Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, publicly defended her visit to Cuba on Sunday, saying on social media she was "honored to be here" and "honored to make history" on the island amid escalating tensions between Havana and Washington. Omar later reposted her daughter's message on X.

Why it matters

Hirsi's visit comes as U.S.-Cuba relations are at a particularly volatile point, with President Donald Trump publicly floating the idea of "taking Cuba in some form" and Cuba warning of "impregnable resistance" against any external aggressor. The trip is likely to draw sharp criticism from Republicans who have long targeted Hirsi's mother over her progressive politics and immigration background.

The details

Hirsi responded to a New York Post X post that characterized her trip and those of others as "tone-deaf," writing: "yes i am in cuba! people are here from across the globe to express solidarity with the Cuban people. people who are standing against the oppressive blockade exacerbated by the trump administration. i am honored to be here. i am honored to make history and Eid Mubarak to all." Cuba is currently grappling with a severe energy crisis, driven in large part by a U.S. campaign to restrict oil shipments to the island.

  • Hirsi visited Cuba on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The players

Isra Hirsi

The daughter of Democratic Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar.

Ilhan Omar

A Democratic Representative from Minnesota and the mother of Isra Hirsi.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who has publicly floated the idea of "taking Cuba in some form."

Miguel Díaz-Canel

The President of Cuba, who has warned that any external aggressor would face "impregnable resistance."

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State who has publicly signaled support for leadership change in Cuba.

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What they’re saying

“I do believe I'll be having the honor of taking Cuba. That's a big honor. Taking Cuba in some form. Whether I free it, take it, I think I could do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth. They are a very weakened nation right now.”

— Donald Trump

“The US publicly threatens #Cuba, almost daily, with overthrowing the constitutional order by force. And it uses an outrageous pretext: the harsh limitations of the weakened economy that they have attacked and sought to isolate for more than six decades. They intend and announce plans to seize the country, its resources, its properties, and even the very economy they seek to strangle to make us surrender. Only in this way can the fierce economic war be explained, which is applied as collective punishment against the entire people. In the face of the worst scenario, #Cuba is accompanied by a certainty: any external aggressor will clash with an impregnable resistance.”

— Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba

The takeaway

Hirsi's visit to Cuba amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Cuba highlights the deep political divisions in the U.S., with her mother Ilhan Omar being a vocal critic of the Trump administration's policies. The trip is likely to draw sharp criticism from Republicans, underscoring the ongoing tensions over Cuba policy and the broader ideological battles in American politics.