A series of weekend tweets by President Donald Trump railing against liberal congresswomen has drawn the ire of many people who call the messages racist.
Trump wrote Sunday that “progressive Democrat congresswomen who originally came from counties whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe” should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
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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......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
While not mentioned by name, the president appeared to be referencing a group of congresswomen known as “the squad,” which includes Rep. Ilhan Omar, of Minnesota; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; Rep. Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts; and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, of Michigan.
Omar, from Somalia, is a naturalized U.S. citizen. The other three women were born in the U.S.
Houston police Chief Art Acevedo decried Trump’s tweets in his own series of tweets late Sunday.
“If you aren’t offended by the this tweet, you aren’t a patriot, nor a Christian, nor a person of any faith or any legitimate religion on Earth,” Acevedo wrote. “This is the most un-American statement a POTUS has made in modern times. This is a truly sad day and a new low for our Nation.”
If you aren’t offended by the this tweet, you aren’t a patriot, nor a Christian, nor a person of any faith or any legitimate religion on Earth. This is the most un-American statement a POTUS has made in modern times. This is a truly sad day and a new now for our Nation.
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) July 15, 2019
Acevedo went on to describe the president’s tweet as “something you might expect from a 5th grader in the sandbox.”
“The most disturbing thing about this, is that way too many Americans will tolerate the behavior, excuse it, compartmentalize, remain silent and most disturbing embrace and share the views expressed,” Acevedo wrote.
Trump defended his comments Monday, calling on “the Radical Left congresswomen” to “apologize to our Country.”
Democrats and even some Republicans have rebuked the president, calling his remarks “unacceptable” and “racially offensive.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.