Top Democrat Slams Trump's 'racist Tweet' About Minority Congresswomen

NEW YORK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2019 ) :US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, condemned President Donald Trump for telling a group of minority lawmakers to go back to where they came from, saying the "xenophobic" comments reaffirmed that Trump's plan is about "making America white again." "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 said on Twitter on Sunday.

"Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power," she added.

In a separate tweet, Pelosi also said that she rejected Trump'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," she continued.

Her comments came just hours after Trump targeted the group of progressive lawmakers, telling them to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came" from before speaking out about how the United States government should be run.

Trump did not identify the lawmakers. But the remarks came amid a week of escalating tension between Pelosi and a group of four new House Democrats � Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who are Muslim, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley.

"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 said a string of tweets.

"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," he added. "These places need your help badly, you can't leave fast enough." Ms. Omar was born Mogadishu, Somalia, before coming to the U.S. as a refugee with her family. Pressley was born in Cincinnati, while Tlaib was born in Detroit. Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York.

Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, also a Democrat, denounced the remarks while appearing on "Fox news Sunday," saying Trump's tweet was racist.

Pelosi has repeatedly feuded with Trump since becoming the leader of the House in January. She said last week that Trump's push to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census is an effort to "make America white again." "This is about keeping � you know his hat � make America white again," Pelosi said at an event in San Francisco, referring to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."