Trump ramps up attack on Congresswomen as US politicians vote to condemn tweets
Donald Trump has continued his attack on four US Congresswomen in yet another Twitter tirade.
The President, who previously told Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib to “go back” to their home countries - even though all are citizens and three were born in the US.
Despite the Democratic-led House of Representatives voting to condemn Trump's "racist comments”, the President doubled down and continued his attack today.
...opinion, they’re Americans. Now I’m entitled to my opinion, & I just think they’re left wing cranks. They’re the reason there are directions on a shampoo bottle, & we should ignore them. The “squad” has moved the Democrat Party substantially LEFT, and.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019
....they are destroying the Democrat Party. I’m appalled that so many of our Presidential candidates are falling all over themselves to try to agree with the four horsewomen of the apocalypse. I’m entitled to say that they’re Wack Jobs.” Louisiana Senator John Kennedy
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019
He tweeted: “In America, if you hate our country, you are free to leave. The simple fact of the matter is, the four Congresswomen think that America is wicked in its origins, they think that America is even more wicked now, that we are all racist and evil.
“They’re entitled to their opinion, they’re Americans. Now I’m entitled to my opinion, and I just think they’re left-wing cranks.
“They’re the reason there are directions on a shampoo bottle, and we should ignore them.”
Read more from Yahoo News UK:
Dramatic footage shows huge fire which sank fishing boat off UK coast
Toddler bitten by bat in the middle of the night
British holidaymaker could be paralysed after waterpark accident
Trump went on to label the women the “four horsewomen of the apocalypse” and accused them of “destroying the Democrat Party”.
The rebuke to Trump’s tweets in the House of Representatives was embarrassing for the President, who had appealed to Republican politicians not to go along - but four Republicans voted for the resolution.
The measure carries no legal repercussions for Trump and the highly partisan roll calls suggest it is unlikely to cost him support from his die-hard conservative base.
Before the vote, Trump accused his four outspoken critics of "spewing some of the most vile, hateful and disgusting things ever said by a politician," and added, "If you hate our country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!”
Republicans formally objected after Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said during a floor speech that the President's tweets were “racist".
Hours earlier, Trump tweeted, "Those tweets were NOT racist. I don't have a racist bone in my body!”
He wrote that House Republicans should "not show 'weakness'" by agreeing to a resolution he called "a Democrat con game.”
Ms Ocasio-Cortez, one of Mr Trump's four targets, returned his fire, tweeting: "You're right, Mr President - you don't have a racist bone in your body. You have a racist mind in your head and a racist heart in your chest.”
Trump's attacks was aimed at four Democrats who have garnered attention since their arrival in January for their outspoken liberal views and thinly veiled distaste for the President.
All were born in the US except for Ms Omar, who came to the US as a child after fleeing Somalia with her family.
The four have also been involved in an increasingly personal clash with Democratic Speaker Ms Pelosi over how assertively the House should be in trying to restrain Trump's ability to curb immigration.