House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rebuked President Trump for his “xenophobic comments” when he called on four female Democratic lawmakers to “go back” to their countries.
“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 said in two postings in reaction to Trump’s comments.
The president earlier apparently referred to four freshman lawmakers — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley — when he tweeted that they should ”fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
Pelosi said she rejects Trump’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!,” the California Democrat wrote.
Omar was born in Somalia and came to the US when she was 12.
The other three were all born in the US.
Pelosi last week said Trump was trying to “make American white again” when he pushed for a citizenship question be added to the 2020 census – an action he eventually backed off from.
The Democratic leader had been feuding with the four freshman lawmakers who has been pushing a more progressive agenda in the House, including voting against an emergency spending bill for the border that Pelosi supported.
In his tweets, Trump blasted “‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe” for talking about “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,” he said.