On Sunday (July 14) the day Donald Trump announced Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers would detain migrant families in 10 major U.S. cities, the president took to Twitter to tell certain progressive Democrats to return to their country of origin.
“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 tweeted.
“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. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”
While Trump didn’t name names, it can be assumed he’s speaking of Democratic Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Latin-American woman born and raised in The Bronx; Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, a black woman born in Cincinnati; Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American from Detroit, Michigan and representative Ilhan Omar is a Somali born refugee who moved to the United States when she was 12 and became a naturalized citizen.
Trump’s tweets were condemned by many, including by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who affirmed they only underscore his “Make America Great Again” slogan has an alternative meaning.
“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,” Pelosi tweeted. I reject @realDonaldTrump’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!”
Pelosi’s public defense of the four Freshman congresswomen comes after disparaging comments made in Maureen Dowd’s New York Times op-ed about the freshman four. “All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world. But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people, and that’s how many votes they got.”
Ocasio-Cortez later responded by calling the statements “just outright disrespectful.”
