The Political Figures Who Have Denounced Trump's Racist Tweets Against Congresswomen of Color
President Donald Trump has received extreme backlash to his controversial tweets over the weekend against progressive Democratic congresswomen, which were quickly denounced as racist by many across the political spectrum.
On Sunday morning, Trump, 73, ripped into the four lawmakers of color — New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts — and told them to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
In response, politicians both from the U.S. and abroad quickly condemned the president for his comments.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, whom Trump mentioned in his tweets, was un-amused at having been brought into the firestorm and defended the women on Twitter.
“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. Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power,” she wrote, before calling his comments “xenophobic.”
I reject @realDonaldTrump’s 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 - #FamiliesBelongTogether!
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 14, 2019
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also slammed Trump for his comments in a joint NATO press conference on Monday.
“I think Canadians and indeed people around the world know exactly what I think about those particular comments,” Trudeau, 47, said.
“That is not how we do things in Canada. A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,” he added.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, on Monday also criticized Trump’s Twitter firestorm.
The president’s comments were destructive, demeaning, and disunifying. The President of the United States has a unique and noble calling to unite the American people – of all different races, colors, and national origins. In that respect, the president failed badly.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) July 15, 2019
RELATED: Trump Slammed as ‘Racist-in-Chief’ After He Tweets About Congresswomen of Color
“The president’s comments were destructive, demeaning, and disunifying,” Romney, 72, wrote. “The President of the United States has a unique and noble calling to unite the American people – of all different races, colors, and national origins. In that respect, the president failed badly.”
“People can disagree over politics and policy, but telling American citizens to go back to where they came from is over the line,” Romney added.
Trump took additional heat for his comments from British Prime Minister Theresa May, who said his comments were “totally unacceptable” in a statement to the BBC.
During The View on Monday, conservative Meghan McCain criticized Trump and doubled down against fellow Republicans, calling them out for their apparent lack of criticism.
Meghan McCain slams the "cowardice" of the GOP for not speaking out against Trump's tweets on the Democratic congresswomen, including Sen. Lindsey Graham's defense of Trump: "Whatever is happening to Lindsey, this is not the person I used to know" https://t.co/xDNYOEfslg @TheView pic.twitter.com/8ZP1Th72d8
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 15, 2019
“It can’t just be me and Geraldo,” she said on Monday’s show, referring to Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera, who also criticized Trump for his comments despite the two being friends.
“Somebody else has to come out against this,” McCain, 34, added. “I’m serious. It is very petrifying that there is not one sitting member of Congress that will come out against this on my side.”
Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, both in the running to be the party’s candidate in the 2020 presidential election, also slammed the racist tweets.
In a Tuesday interview with CNN, Harris, 54, said Trump had “defiled” his office.
“He needs to go back where he came from and leave that office and so that’s why I’m running with the intention of making sure there will not be four more years,” she said.
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. https://t.co/WupieDquLA
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) July 14, 2019
A large number of celebrities spoke out as well, including Olivia Wilde, Morgan Freeman, Karamo Brown, Chris Evans and Ana DuVernay.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist. #RacistInChief— Morgan J. Freeman (@mjfree) July 14, 2019
This is racist, Biff.
The only thing worse than actually being hateful and racist, is casually wielding hate and racism to activate your base in an unrelenting, painfully transparent, and crushingly on-brand effort to soothe your only true devotion: feeding your insatiable ego. https://t.co/WfU1uUp9Ya— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) July 15, 2019
On Monday, the Democratic congresswomen appeared together at a joint press conference to respond to Trump’s attacks.
“This is simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous, chaotic and corrupt culture of this administration,” said Pressley, 45.
Ocasio-Cortez, 29, said, “We don’t leave the things that we love, and when we love this country, what that means is that we propose the solutions to fix it.”
Despite the overwhelming backlash, Trump has defended his comments, claiming, “I don’t have a racist bone in my body” before continuing to attack the women for their “filthy language, statements and lies.”
He also told reporters the backlash “doesn’t concern me, because many people agree with me. All I’m saying is if they want to leave, they can leave now.”
