‘The Squad’ call Trump a racist

BACKLASH: NATIONALISTIC TACK TO AVOID DEBATE

Congresswomen of colour that president tells to ‘go home’ get huge support.

Washington

Democratic congresswomen targeted in a xenophobic tirade by President Donald Trump hit back on Monday, saying he was trying to distract attention from his policies with his “blatantly racist attack”.

The president first attacked the four lawmakers – all but one of whom were born in America – with a series of tweets on Sunday, saying they should “go back” to their countries of origin. The four – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts

– struck back and urged people not to “take the bait”.

Trump was simply trying to distract with his “blatantly racist attack” on the four women of colour, Omar said. “This is the agenda of white nationalists.”

Pressley added: “This is a disruption and a distraction from the callous chaotic and corrupt culture of this administration.”

The four lawmakers – nicknamed The Squad by some media – said attention should instead be focused on healthcare and immigration and the treatment of asylum-seekers. “Weak minds and leaders challenge loyalty to our country to avoid challenging and debating the policy,” said Ocasio-Cortez.

Tlaib said Trump’s remarks were “a continuation of his racist and xenophobic playbook.”

“We cannot allow these hateful actions by the president to distract us from the critical work to hold this administration accountable,” she said.

Trump also came under fire from some members of his Republican party, but remained unrepentant. “All they do is complain,” Trump said. “These are people that hate our country,” he said of the four lawmakers. “If you’re not happy here, you can leave.”

Trump also accused the four first-term congresswomen, who are of Hispanic, Arab, Somali and African American origin, of having “love” for US “enemies like al-Qaeda.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became the latest international leader to condemn Trump’s tweets, noting that her country welcomed diversity in the corridors of power. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain’s Theresa May also expressed disapproval.

Former vice-president Joe Biden, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, denounced Trump. “Go home to your country? It’s sickening, it’s embarrassing,” he said. – AFP