Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised President Donald Trump’s administration over alleged efforts to challenge Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s US citizenship, warning that targeting political opponents through government institutions could set a dangerous precedent.

Northern Nigeria Hub reported that Obama expressed his concerns in a statement on his verified X account on Sunday, arguing that elected officials should not face selective government action because of their political views or criticism of the president.

Obama alleged that the administration was questioning Omar’s citizenship based on claims about her age when her father became a naturalised American citizen. He maintained that the congresswoman was 17 at the time and therefore acquired citizenship through her father.

The former president also alleged that federal agents searched Omar’s home and seized personal records and her phone in connection with the citizenship dispute.

Omar, who arrived in the United States with her father at the age of 12, later worked as a community organiser before entering politics. She became the first Somali-American woman elected to public office in the country and subsequently secured a seat in Congress.

Obama said Omar’s criticism of Trump had made her a frequent target of the president. He also cited cases involving New York’s attorney general, a former FBI director and members of the Federal Reserve as examples of what he described as a broader pattern of legal actions against people viewed as political opponents.

Although Obama expressed confidence that the case against Omar could ultimately fail, he warned that the legal process could impose significant financial costs on her and distract her from representing her constituents in Minnesota.

He further cautioned that allowing public institutions to be used to intimidate political critics could establish a precedent for future administrations to target opponents regardless of party affiliation.