Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted President Donald Trump for suggesting that she and other progressive lawmakers ‘go back’ to their countries and fix what’s broken there before telling the United States how the government should operate.
‘Mr. President, the country I “come from,” & the country we all swear to, is the United States. But given how you’ve destroyed our border with inhumane camps, all at a benefit to you & the corps who profit off them, you are absolutely right about the corruption laid at your feet,’ AOC tweeted.
‘You are angry because you don’t believe in an America where I represent New York 14, where the good people of Minnesota elected @IlhanMN, where @RashidaTlaib fights for Michigan families, where @AyannaPressley champions little girls in Boston,’ AOC added.
Megan McCain also called out Trump for his ‘racist’ comments.
‘I see Trump people are trying to spin this to just be about Rep. Omar, but we all know that’s a lie. But 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”,’ McCain tweeted.
Congresswoman, Illhan Omar, who was born in Somalia, said in a tweet: ‘Mr. President, As Members of Congress, the only country we swear an oath to is the United States. Which is why we are fighting to protect it from the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen.’
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted President Donald Trump for suggesting that she and other progressive lawmakers ‘go back’ to their countries and fix what’s broken there before telling the United States how the government should operate
‘Yo @realDonaldTrump, I am fighting corruption in OUR country. I do it every day when I hold your admin accountable as a U.S. Congresswoman. Detroit taught me how to fight for the communities you continue to degrade & attack. Keep talking, you’ll be out of the WH soon,’ Rashida Tlaib tweeted in response.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wrote: ‘THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like. And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday.’
‘This president is hurting our country and bigotry like he just spewed is something that we need to end in this nation,’ New Jersey Senator and Democratic presidential candidate, Cory Booker, said while speaking to reporters in Pelham, New Hampshire.
California Senator and Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, also reacted while campaigning in New Hampshire.
‘It is absolutely racist and un-American. And it is an old trope, go back to where you came from, that you might hear on the street but you should never hear that from the President of the United States,’ Harris said.
‘This guy doesn’t understand, he doesn’t understand his responsibilities and I don’t think he understands what the American people want from their president, which is somebody who’s going to elevate public discourse and speak with a level of dignity,’ she added.
Presidential candidate, Kirsten Gillibrand, also denounced Trump’s remarks.
‘The birther-in-chief continues to spout racist, un-American garbage to distract from his failing administration. Democratic women of the House do more to make our country great than Trump ever will,’ Gillibrand said.
Massachusetts Sen and Democratic presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren, tweeted: ‘Let’s be clear about what this vile comment is: A racist and xenophobic attack on Democratic congresswomen. This is their country, regardless of whether or not Trump realizes it. They should be treated with respect. As president, I’ll make sure of it.’
Earlier on Sunday, Trump told AOC, Pressley, Tlaib and Omar, to go fix the countries they are originally from before getting involved with American politics.
Megan McCain (left) also called out Trump (right) for his ‘racist’ comments
Earlier on Sunday, Trump told AOC, Ayanna Pressley, and Illhan Omar, who was born in Somalia, to go fix the countries they are originally from before getting involved with American politics
‘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,’ Trump posted to Twitter Sunday.
‘Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came,’ he suggested. ‘Then come back and show us how it is done.’
In his trio of tweets, Trump said these American politicians need to focus on helping their countries of origin before focusing on the US.
‘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!’ he concluded.
In an unlikely turn of events, the president has found himself defending House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has recently gone to war with freshman representatives Omar, Tliab, Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley.
All four women were elected to the House for the first time in the 2018 midterms and make up a small group of minority progressive freshmen in the caucus.
Omar is a Somali-American who fled the African country with her family when she was a young child
Omar said in a tweet: ‘Mr. President, As Members of Congress, the only country we swear an oath to is the United States. Which is why we are fighting to protect it from the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen’
Earlier this month they all voted against the $4.6billion Republican border bill that would provide aide to the border, including migrant detention centers.
Pelosi backed the bill and helped get it through the House after several reports emerged of the horrific conditions migrants faced at certain centers along the border that hold those who crossed the border illegally.
The House Speaker demeaned Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tliab and Pressley’s social media followings, claiming that did not translate to actual action.
‘All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,’ Pelosi told The New York Times in an interview after all four congresswomen voted against the bill.
‘But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people and that’s how many votes they got.’
Ocasio-Cortez fired back against the Speaker’s comments, claiming that the social media following indicated they are able to ‘achieve meaningful change.’
‘I find it strange when members act as though social media isn’t important,’ Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
‘They set millions of [dollars] on [fire] to run TV ads so people can see their message,’ Ocasio-Cortez wrote in describing how out of touch some senior members are in their expensive forms of public outreach.
‘I haven’t dialed for dollars *once* this year, & have more time to do my actual job. Yet we’d rather campaign like it’s 2008,’ she continued.
But after Trump’s remarks on Sunday, Pelosi jumped at the opportunity to defend the four congresswomen.
‘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,’ Pelosi tweeted.
‘Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power,’ she added.
Pelosi then went on to say that she rejects ‘xenophobic comments meant to divide our nation’.
‘Rather than attack Members of Congress, he should work with us for humane immigration policy that reflects American values. Stop the raids,’ Pelosi tweeted.
Freshman progressive Reps Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Rashida Tlaib (left) and Ayanna Pressley (right) have been at odds with House leadership after becoming the only four to vote against against a $4.6billion border bill
Rashida Tlaib tweeted in response that she’s ‘fighting corruption in OUR country. I do it every day when I hold your admin accountable as a U.S. Congresswoman’
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wrote: ‘THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like. And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attacked the congresswomen for focusing on their social media followings instead of an actual following that makes change
But after Trump’s remarks on Sunday, Pelosi jumped at the opportunity to defend the four congresswomen
Trump’s reference to the congresswomen in question mostly applies to Omar, who, when she was a young girl, fled Somalia with her family to seek asylum in the US.
She now represents Minnesota’s fifth congressional district, which includes Minneapolis.
Tliab is the daughter of two Palestinian immigrants and Ocasio-Cortez’s mother is from Puerto Rico.
Pressley is the first African American woman elected to Congress to represent Massachusetts.