BBC's Naga Munchetty Praised For 'Off-Script' Comments About Donald Trump's Racist Tweets

"Naga's clearly as British as fish 'n' chips."
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Presenter Naga Munchetty has been praised for briefly dispensing with the usual BBC impartiality and saying she is “absolutely furious” about racist comments made by Donald Trump.

After a BBC Breakfast segment on the ongoing US row – in which the president said four Democratic politicians should “go back” to their home countries – the host revealed she had been told the same thing on a number of occasions.

Munchetty said that such comments were “embedded with racism”.

She added: “Now I’m not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean.”

With a nod to the BBC’s strict guidelines on impartiality, co-host Dan Walker asked his colleague: “I know you’re sitting here not giving an opinion, but how do you feel then, as someone who’s been told that before?”

“Furious. Absolutely furious,” Munchetty replied.

She added: “I can imagine lots of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious that a man in that position feels it’s OK to skirt the line of using language like that.”

The outburst drew praise on social media, with journalist Marina Hyde calling it a “powerful off-script moment”.

This was a powerful off-script moment from the always brilliant @BBCNaga https://t.co/20XQKCjS8k

— Marina Hyde (@MarinaHyde) July 17, 2019

I understand you went off script for a second @BBCBreakfast however Naga’s personal statement was exactly what that story needed, humanising the true depth of the horrific statement Trump made. Well done Naga for sharing your voice.

— JH (@johutch_) July 17, 2019

Just heard @BBCNaga say "Every time I've been told to 'go home'..."
As a white man I'd never be told to 'go home'. Naga's clearly as British as fish n chips yet some see the colour of her skin first. Pisses me right off.

— Neil's View (@NeilView) July 17, 2019

Last night in the US the House of Representatives voted to condemn Trump’s comments.

In response the president accused the Democrats of being “wedded to this bitterness and hate”.

So great to see how unified the Republican Party was on today’s vote concerning statements I made about four Democrat Congresswomen. If you really want to see statements, look at the horrible things they said about our Country, Israel, and much more. They are now the top, most...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019

....visible members of the House Democrats, who are now wedded to this bitterness and hate. The Republican vote was 187-4. Wow! Also, this was the first time since 1984 that the Speaker of the House was ruled Out of Order and broke the Rules of the House. Quite a day!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019

The embarrassing rebuke against Trump comes two days after he said four Democratic politicians should “go back” to their home countries – although all are citizens and three were born in the US.

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