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Trump tells Ocasio-Cortez and other female progressives to 'go back' to 'original' countries Trump tells Ocasio-Cortez and other female progressives to 'go back' to 'original' countries
(about 1 hour later)
Donald Trump aimed a controversial attack at “the Squad” on Sunday, saying the four progressive Democratic congresswomen who have clashed with their own party establishment should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came”.Donald Trump aimed a controversial attack at “the Squad” on Sunday, saying the four progressive Democratic congresswomen who have clashed with their own party establishment should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came”.
‘Is Bernie going to come?’ Warren seizes on Sanders' Netroots absence‘Is Bernie going to come?’ Warren seizes on Sanders' Netroots absence
“You can’t leave fast enough,” he added.“You can’t leave fast enough,” he added.
Trump did not name his targets but the high-profile members of “the Squad” are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts; Rashida Tlaib of Michigan; and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.Trump did not name his targets but the high-profile members of “the Squad” are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts; Rashida Tlaib of Michigan; and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
Only Omar, who is from Somalia, was not born in America. Pressley is African American, Tlaib was born to Palestinian immigrants and Ocasio-Cortez comes from a New York-Puerto Rican family.Only Omar, who is from Somalia, was not born in America. Pressley is African American, Tlaib was born to Palestinian immigrants and Ocasio-Cortez comes from a New York-Puerto Rican family.
Tlaib responded by saying Trump “needs to be impeached”.Tlaib responded by saying Trump “needs to be impeached”.
The Squad’s run-in with House speaker Nancy Pelosi, initially over her support for funding to be spent on the humanitarian crisis at the southern border and widening to include her reluctance to begin impeachment proceedings, has eaten up column inches and dominated the Democratic presidential primary. Bernie Sanders was among those who called the attack racist.
On Friday Trump took it upon himself to defend Pelosi on the matter, saying: “She is not a racist.” “When I call the president a racist,” the Vermont senator wrote, “this is what I’m talking about.”
He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeachedHe is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached
The Squad’s run-in with House speaker Nancy Pelosi, initially over her support for funding to be spent on the humanitarian crisis at the southern border and widening to include her reluctance to begin impeachment proceedings, has eaten up column inches and dominated the Democratic presidential primary.
Tempers have been raised. This week, Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Post Pelosi was being “outright disrespectful” with “the explicit singling out of newly elected women of color”.
Trump defended Pelosi, saying: “She is not a racist.”
In a series of tweets on Sunday morning, the president wrote that it was “so interesting to see ‘progressive’ Democrat congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run.In a series of tweets on Sunday morning, the president wrote that it was “so interesting to see ‘progressive’ Democrat congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run.
“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough.“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough.
“I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”“I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”
The presidential trolling, just ahead of the political talk shows, seemed guaranteed to light a fire, potentially as a distraction from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids announced by Trump and due to be carried out in major cities on Sunday.The presidential trolling, just ahead of the political talk shows, seemed guaranteed to light a fire, potentially as a distraction from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids announced by Trump and due to be carried out in major cities on Sunday.
On CNN’s State of the Union Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, was asked if Trump’s tweets “feed into this impression that the president is racist and is pushing a racist agenda”.On CNN’s State of the Union Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, was asked if Trump’s tweets “feed into this impression that the president is racist and is pushing a racist agenda”.
Cuccinelli said the tweets were examples of “rhetoric for the presidential race”.Cuccinelli said the tweets were examples of “rhetoric for the presidential race”.
All the congresswomen concerned have emerged as prominent opponents of the Trump administration and key voices in a Democratic party increasingly split over the best way to beat the president next year.All the congresswomen concerned have emerged as prominent opponents of the Trump administration and key voices in a Democratic party increasingly split over the best way to beat the president next year.
Omar was born in Somalia and came to the US at the age of 12, after a spell in a refugee camp. Elected to Congress in November as one of the first two Muslim women to achieve that honour, she has emerged as a hate figure among Republicans, Fox News hosts and Trump’s hard-right base of support.Omar was born in Somalia and came to the US at the age of 12, after a spell in a refugee camp. Elected to Congress in November as one of the first two Muslim women to achieve that honour, she has emerged as a hate figure among Republicans, Fox News hosts and Trump’s hard-right base of support.
Tlaib, the other Muslim woman in Congress, was born in Detroit. Pressley was born in Cincinnati and raised in Chicago. Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York City.Tlaib, the other Muslim woman in Congress, was born in Detroit. Pressley was born in Cincinnati and raised in Chicago. Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York City.
Trump has regularly attacked Omar and ridiculed Ocasio-Cortez, although a new book does contain expressions seemingly denoting respect for the New Yorker, particularly the observation that she is similar to Eva Perón.Trump has regularly attacked Omar and ridiculed Ocasio-Cortez, although a new book does contain expressions seemingly denoting respect for the New Yorker, particularly the observation that she is similar to Eva Perón.
Trump calls Ocasio-Cortez 'Evita' in new book American Carnage
On Saturday, Tlaib, Omar and Pressley appeared together at Netroots Nation, a major progressive conference in Philadelphia.On Saturday, Tlaib, Omar and Pressley appeared together at Netroots Nation, a major progressive conference in Philadelphia.
Asked what she would say to women of color frustrated or hurt by comments that seek to minimize their impact or vilify them, Omar said: “We never need to ask for permission or wait for an invitation to lead.Asked what she would say to women of color frustrated or hurt by comments that seek to minimize their impact or vilify them, Omar said: “We never need to ask for permission or wait for an invitation to lead.
“We are not really in the business of asking for the share of that power. We’re in the business of trying to grab that power and return it to the people.”“We are not really in the business of asking for the share of that power. We’re in the business of trying to grab that power and return it to the people.”
Tlaib told the same panel that in politics, “you have to be unapologetically you”. Trump calls Ocasio-Cortez 'Evita' in new book American Carnage
She made a national impression by doing just that in January, shortly after being sworn in. Speaking to supporters about Trump, she said “bullies don’t win” and promised: “We’re gonna go in there and we’re going to impeach the motherfucker.” Internal debate remains over the Pelosi-Squad split. On Sunday the Texas congressman Lloyd Doggett said on Twitter Trump’s attack was “racism pure and simple”. Echoing attacks on Pelosi, he said the president “fears the power of these strong, effective, American women of color”.
On Sunday, Tlaib echoed that infamous remark when she became the first member of the Squad to respond to Trump. Sanders told NBC’s Meet the Press Pelosi was being “a little bit” too tough and said: “You cannot ignore the young people of this country, who are passionate about economic and racial and social and environmental justice. You gotta bring them in, not alienate them.”
The New Mexico congressman Ben Ray Luján stuck up for the speaker, telling Fox News Sunday that “as a person of color, as the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congress, I can tell you that Nancy Pelosi has lifted up my voice to make sure that I’ve had opportunities and to make sure my voice has been heard, as well.”
At Netroots, Tlaib said that in politics, “you have to be unapologetically you”. She made a national impression by doing just that in January, shortly after being sworn in. Speaking to supporters about Trump, she said “bullies don’t win” and promised: “We’re gonna go in there and we’re going to impeach the motherfucker.”
On Sunday, Tlaib echoed that infamous remark when she became the first member of the Squad to respond directly to Trump.
“Want a response to a lawless [and] complete failure of a President?” she wrote. “He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached.”“Want a response to a lawless [and] complete failure of a President?” she wrote. “He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached.”
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Ilhan OmarIlhan Omar
DemocratsDemocrats
US politicsUS politics
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Trump administrationTrump administration
RaceRace
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