The president is demanding an apology from the people he launched a racist and public tirade against over the weekend.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump sparked a firestorm by demanding that four prominent progressive U.S. congresswomen—three of whom were born in the United States—should go back to the countries they came from.
Yet the president himself apparently felt like the aggrieved party because Trump on Monday said “radical Congressmen” need to apologize to the office of the president, as well as the American people, for their use of foul language, most likely referring to Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s (D-Mich.) “impeach the motherfucker” comment.
When will the Radical Left Congresswomen apologize to our Country, the people of Israel and even to the Office of the President, for the foul language they have used, and the terrible things they have said. So many people are angry at them & their horrible & disgusting actions!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2019
He also mentioned “the people of Israel” deserve an apology for “things they have said,” continuing to hound Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism by the right.
Trump continued on, with a tweet that makes you really think he just might be projecting: “If Democrats want to unite around the foul language & racist hatred spewed from the mouths and actions of these very unpopular & unrepresentative Congresswomen, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.”
If Democrats want to unite around the foul language & racist hatred spewed from the mouths and actions of these very unpopular & unrepresentative Congresswomen, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. I can tell you that they have made Israel feel abandoned by the U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2019
Interesting indeed, as it was Trump’s 2016 victory that came after racism toward Latin Americans and Muslims.
Trump’s series of tweets came in the wake of Democratic infighting between the four Trump singled out—Tlaib, Omar, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y), and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)—and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). It was a moment Republicans were enjoying, a major schism in the opposition party.
Some in the pundit class are now scrambling to distance themselves from Trump’s tweets.
This statement by POTUS is completely inappropriate. Three of the four Congresswomen were born here. All are Americans. There is much to disagree with about their politics, but attacking them like this is wrong. https://t.co/HcXjkeov6g
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) July 15, 2019
POTUS was wrong to say any American citizen, whether in Congress or not, has any ‘home’ besides the U.S. But I just as strongly believe non-citizens who abuse our immigration laws should be sent home immediately, & Reps who refuse to defend America should be sent home 11/2020.
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) July 15, 2019
The first is the substance. Not just because they were technically wrong, since three of the four were born in the US. The tweets were wrong because they sent a xenophobic, discouraging message to immigrants who come to the US legally. 2/5
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 15, 2019
But Republican representatives in Congress have been relatively silent, with Ocasio-Cortez saying the “entire” caucus has been silent.
Until Republican officials denounce yesterday’s explicitly racist statements (which should be easy!), we sadly have no choice but to assume they condone it.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 15, 2019
It is extremely disturbing that the *entire* GOP caucus is silent. Is this their agenda? https://t.co/NXIUiPAPls
Am i correct that not a single Republican member of Congress has objected to the president telling some of their American born brown and black colleagues they should go back to the countries they came from?
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) July 14, 2019
NOT. ONE. SINGLE. REPUBLICAN. IN. CONGRESS. HAS. DENOUNCED. THE. RACIST. TRUMP. TWEETSTORM.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) July 15, 2019
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) became the first Republican congressman to blast the president’s tweet on Sunday night.
POTUS was wrong to say any American citizen, whether in Congress or not, has any ‘home’ besides the U.S. But I just as strongly believe non-citizens who abuse our immigration laws should be sent home immediately, & Reps who refuse to defend America should be sent home 11/2020.
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) July 15, 2019
Others doubled down.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) went the opposite route this morning on Fox & Friends, calling the four women communists and anti-Semites.
.@LindseyGrahamSC on Fox & Friends: "We all know that AOC and this crowd are a bunch of communists … they're anti-Semitic. They're anti-America." pic.twitter.com/lsFqZi1Eu8
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2019
An hour after Graham’s appearance on Fox, Trump shared his appearance in full on Twitter, reinforcing the senator’s claim about the four women being anti-Semitic communists.
READ MORE:
- Trump tells 4 congresswomen of color to go back to the countries they came from
- Uh-oh, we’re one step closer to having a robot army
- Why is QAnon so obsessed with taking down cults?
Got five minutes? We’d love to hear from you. Help shape our journalism and be entered to win an Amazon gift card by filling out our 2019 reader survey.