American diplomacy in Somalia has reached a troubling low amid the ongoing electoral crisis. The US embassy’s recent statement urging Somali leaders to remain in Mogadishu “until an election agreement is reached” reflects a tone-deaf and one-sided approach, failing to account for the opposition’s concerns. While the Federal Member State leaders of Puntland and Jubaland patiently waited for talks, former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo continued to obstruct the electoral process, deploying paramilitary units and intelligence forces to consolidate power. Farmaajo’s priority is not credible elections but securing a victory that guarantees his continued rule, undermining Somalia’s fragile democracy. Meanwhile, the US and other international partners have leaned on a weak framework election agreement from September, ignoring Farmaajo’s repeated violations and violent suppression of dissent. This mismanagement signals a dangerous precedent for American involvement in the Horn of Africa, highlighting the risks of biased intervention and the failure to ensure neutral mediation. Somalia’s opposition demands fair dialogue, credible electoral guarantees, and international support that is genuinely impartial. The Biden administration faces an early test of its commitment to peace and stability in Somalia, with the nation’s democratic future hanging in the balance.