A Donald Trump rally last night descended into chants of “send her back” as the crowd reacted to the president’s comments about Muslim congresswoman, Ilhan Omar.
Speaking in North Carolina, Trump had been deriding four female Democrats whom he described as “hate-filled extremists who are constantly trying to tear our country down”.
He added: “They never have anything good to say. That’s why I say, ‘Hey if you don’t like it, let ’em leave, let ’em leave’.”
Trump’s jabs were aimed at the self-described “squad” of four Democrats who have garnered attention since their arrival in January for their outspoken views and distaste for the president: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
All were born in the US except for Omar, who arrived there as a child after fleeing Somalia with her family. She has been a US citizen longer than the First Lady, Melania Trump.
Taking the politicians on one at a time, Trump ticked through a list of what he deemed offensive comments by each woman, misconstruing many facts along the way, PA media reported.
Omar came under the harshest criticism as Trump played to voters’ grievances, drawing a chant from the crowd of “Send her back! Send her back!”
The president made no attempt to stop the crowd and appeared to bask in the moment.
The incident is the latest in an ongoing and vocal battle between Trump and the four congresswomen.
In racist tweets over the weekend, the president was almost certainly referring to this group of liberal House freshmen whose elections in 2018 helped return the chamber to Democratic control.
In one tweet, Trump said: “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
Trump defended the tweets on Monday and suggested the Democrats leave the country if they have complaints. Condemnation poured in from Democrats and – slowly – a selection of Republicans.
On Tuesday the House of Representatives voted to condemn the remarks. In response Trump accused Democrats of being “wedded to this bitterness and hate”.
The condemnation carries no legal repercussions and Trump’s latest harangues struck a chord with supporters in Greenville, who chanted “Four more years!” and “Build that wall!”
It was Trump’s sixth visit to the state as president and his first 2020 campaign event in North Carolina, where he defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.