Sometimes, you really do get one shot to read the script correctly—and apparently, even that can be a challenge in Washington.
Rep. Ilhan Omar found herself on the receiving end of widespread mockery after a resurfaced video showed her referring to World War II as “World War Eleven.” Yes, eleven.
The clip, originally from January 22, 2025, features Omar standing alongside fellow Democrats while calling for the repeal of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—a law President Donald Trump invoked to expedite the deportation of suspected Venezuelan gang members in the country illegally.
“The last time the Alien Enemies Act was invoked, it was used to detain and deport German, Japanese, Italian immigrants during World War Eleven,” Omar said while reading from prepared remarks.
To her credit, she quickly corrected herself—but by then, the moment had already taken on a life of its own.
And let’s be honest, when you’re reading directly from notes and still manage to invent a sequel to World War II, people are going to notice. Social media certainly did, with critics pointing to the gaffe as yet another example of carelessness from a high-profile lawmaker.
The moment also drew attention back to the broader debate surrounding the Alien Enemies Act and its modern-day use under President Trump, particularly as it relates to immigration enforcement and national security.
Still, in a political environment where every word is scrutinized, slip-ups like this tend to stick—especially when they’re this… creative.
The upside? These moments serve as a reminder that public officials are always under the microscope, and accuracy matters. And in the end, voters have a way of sorting through both the serious debates and the unintentional comedy that sometimes comes with them.