AOC, Democrat Congresswomen Call Out Trump’s Subtweet

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

President Donald Trump is facing accusations of racism after posting a series of tweets attacking Democratic congresswomen on Sunday morning.

Without mentioning them by name, he ordered the “‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen” to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came” – a tweet widely assumed to refer to Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar. Of the freshman congresswomen, Omar is the only representative not initially from America — Pressley, Tlaib, and Ocasio-Cortez were all born in the United States.

“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 wrote, adding that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would be “very happy” to see them leave.

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Tlaib was one of the first to reply to Trump’s comment. “Want a response to a lawless & complete failure of a President?” she tweeted. “He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached.”

Want a response to a lawless & complete failure of a President?

He is the crisis.
His dangerous ideology is the crisis.
He needs to be impeached.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 14, 2019

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. #TickTock
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 14, 2019

Ocasio-Cortez had a longer response ready. “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,” she wrote at the beginning of a thread. “You are angry because you can’t conceive of an America that includes us. You rely on a frightened America for your plunder.”

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. https://t.co/HLKQCotR8T
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 14, 2019

But you know what’s the rub of it all, Mr. President?

On top of not accepting an America that elected us, you cannot accept that we don’t fear you,either.

You can’t accept that we will call your bluff & offer a positive vision for this country. And that’s what makes you seethe.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 14, 2019

Omar also addressed Trump directly. “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,” she said.

"You are stoking white nationalism bc you are angry that people like us are serving in Congress and fighting against your hate-filled agenda," Omar continued.

You are stoking white nationalism bc you are angry that people like us are serving in Congress and fighting against your hate-filled agenda.

“America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired.” -RFK
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 14, 2019

“THIS is what racism looks like,” Pressley tweeted. “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 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. pic.twitter.com/vYzoxCgN0X
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) July 14, 2019

Trump’s jab about Pelosi is a response to her recent dismissive comments about Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley, and Tlaib. “All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,” Pelosi said in a New York Times interview. “But they didn’t have any following.”

Despite Pelosi’s clash with the congresswomen, she also rushed to criticise Trump’s comments. “When [Trump] 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 wrote. “Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. I reject @realDonaldTrump’s xenophobic comments meant to divide our nation.”

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. https://t.co/ODqqHneyES
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 14, 2019