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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Trump to congresswomen of colour: Leave the US | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has been accused of racism after posting tweets attacking Democratic congresswomen. | US President Donald Trump has been accused of racism after posting tweets attacking Democratic congresswomen. |
| He claimed the women "originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe", before suggesting they "go back". | He claimed the women "originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe", before suggesting they "go back". |
| The tweet is directed towards a group of four congresswomen of colour; three were born and raised in the US, while the fourth moved to the US as a child. | |
| Representatives of the Republican Party have kept quiet amid the backlash. | |
| The women - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar, who came to the US as a refugee aged 12 - have all called the president racist, and have been backed by members of the Democratic Party. | |
| Ms Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx in New York, approximately 12 miles away from the Queens hospital where Mr Trump himself was born. | Ms Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx in New York, approximately 12 miles away from the Queens hospital where Mr Trump himself was born. |
| What did the president say? | What did the president say? |
| In a three-tweet thread, Mr Trump accused the congresswomen of "viciously" criticising him and the US. | In a three-tweet thread, Mr Trump accused the congresswomen of "viciously" criticising him and the US. |
| The president did not explicitly name the women he was talking about, but the context - and references to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - made a clear link. | |
| He said Ms Pelosi would happily organise for them to leave the country. | |
| A week ago, Ms Pelosi clashed with the four women, who are nicknamed "the squad", but she has since come to their defence following his tweets. | |
| The president wrote: "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. | "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!" | "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!" |
| Over the past week Ms Pelosi has clashed with Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who accused her of singling out women of colour for criticism following disagreement between Democrats over a border security bill. | Over the past week Ms Pelosi has clashed with Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who accused her of singling out women of colour for criticism following disagreement between Democrats over a border security bill. |
| What has the response been? | What has the response been? |
| Ms Pelosi quoted Mr Trump's tweets and described them as "xenophobic". | |
| "When @realDonaldTrump tells four American congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to 'Make America Great Again' has always been about making America white again," she said. | "When @realDonaldTrump tells four American congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to 'Make America Great Again' has always been about making America white again," she said. |
| "Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power," she added. | "Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power," she added. |
| Ms Tlaib, congresswoman for Michigan's 13th district, tweeted calling for Mr Trump's impeachment. | Ms Tlaib, congresswoman for Michigan's 13th district, tweeted calling for Mr Trump's impeachment. |
| "Want a response to a lawless and complete failure of a president? He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached," she wrote. | "Want a response to a lawless and complete failure of a president? He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached," she wrote. |
| Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Mr Trump: "On top of not accepting an America that elected us, you cannot accept that we don't fear you either." | Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Mr Trump: "On top of not accepting an America that elected us, you cannot accept that we don't fear you either." |
| Ms Omar told the president that he was "stoking white nationalism because you are angry that people like us are serving in Congress and fighting against your hate-filled agenda". | Ms Omar told the president that he was "stoking white nationalism because you are angry that people like us are serving in Congress and fighting against your hate-filled agenda". |
| She also called him "the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen". | She also called him "the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen". |
| And Ms Pressley shared a screenshot of Mr Trump's tweet, adding: "THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like." | And Ms Pressley shared a screenshot of Mr Trump's tweet, adding: "THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like." |
| Democrats running for the presidential nomination also condemned Mr Trump. Senator Elizabeth Warren said the "vile comment" was a "racist and xenophobic attack". Beto O'Rourke said : "This is racist. These congresswomen are every bit as American as you." | Democrats running for the presidential nomination also condemned Mr Trump. Senator Elizabeth Warren said the "vile comment" was a "racist and xenophobic attack". Beto O'Rourke said : "This is racist. These congresswomen are every bit as American as you." |
| Bernie Sanders also accused Mr Trump of racism. | Bernie Sanders also accused Mr Trump of racism. |
| Few Republicans made immediate comment, although Republican-supporting columnist Meghan McCain - daughter of John McCain - said: "This is racist." | Few Republicans made immediate comment, although Republican-supporting columnist Meghan McCain - daughter of John McCain - said: "This is racist." |
| "Even if it were just about Rep. Omar, it would still be racist. We don't tell people we've welcomed into this country to 'go back'," she said. | "Even if it were just about Rep. Omar, it would still be racist. We don't tell people we've welcomed into this country to 'go back'," she said. |
| A host of other commentators also flooded the social network with criticism. | A host of other commentators also flooded the social network with criticism. |
| White House reporter Brian J Karem tweeted at the president: "Good morning, racist much?" while US political commentator Josh Rogin said: "This is a new, terrible, racist, sad low, even for Trump." | White House reporter Brian J Karem tweeted at the president: "Good morning, racist much?" while US political commentator Josh Rogin said: "This is a new, terrible, racist, sad low, even for Trump." |
| Mr Trump has since tweeted again, standing by his original comments and further criticising "people who speak so badly of our country". | |