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| Trump’s ‘rat-infested’ attack on lawmaker was racist, says Pelosi | Trump’s ‘rat-infested’ attack on lawmaker was racist, says Pelosi |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi has accused US President Donald Trump of "racist attacks" in his tweets about an African-American lawmaker. | |
| Mr Trump attacked Democratic Rep Elijah Cummings and his Maryland district on Twitter. | Mr Trump attacked Democratic Rep Elijah Cummings and his Maryland district on Twitter. |
| The president described Mr Cummings' majority-black district in Baltimore as a "rodent-infested mess". | The president described Mr Cummings' majority-black district in Baltimore as a "rodent-infested mess". |
| Mr Cummings was a "bully", Mr Trump wrote, for criticising the treatment of migrants at the US-Mexico border. | Mr Cummings was a "bully", Mr Trump wrote, for criticising the treatment of migrants at the US-Mexico border. |
| As chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Mr Cummings has instigated a series of investigations into the Trump administration's policies, including its handling of migrants at detention centres. | As chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Mr Cummings has instigated a series of investigations into the Trump administration's policies, including its handling of migrants at detention centres. |
| Ms Pelosi led Democratic legislators in defending Mr Cummings and condemning Trump's tweets. | Ms Pelosi led Democratic legislators in defending Mr Cummings and condemning Trump's tweets. |
| The tweets, Ms Pelosi wrote, were "racist attacks" on Mr Cummings, whose district's population is more than 50% black according to US census data. | The tweets, Ms Pelosi wrote, were "racist attacks" on Mr Cummings, whose district's population is more than 50% black according to US census data. |
| A prolific critic of Mr Trump, Mr Cummings responded in kind, tweeting: "It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents." | A prolific critic of Mr Trump, Mr Cummings responded in kind, tweeting: "It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents." |
| Baltimore's mayor, Bernard "Jack" Young, called Mr Trump "a disappointment to the people" of his city, and to "our country, and to the world". | Baltimore's mayor, Bernard "Jack" Young, called Mr Trump "a disappointment to the people" of his city, and to "our country, and to the world". |
| "It's completely unacceptable for the political leader of our country to denigrate a vibrant American City like Baltimore, and to viciously attack US Representative Elijah Cummings a patriot and a hero," Mr Young tweeted. | "It's completely unacceptable for the political leader of our country to denigrate a vibrant American City like Baltimore, and to viciously attack US Representative Elijah Cummings a patriot and a hero," Mr Young tweeted. |
| Other Democrats, including presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, have derided Mr Trump's tweets. | Other Democrats, including presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, have derided Mr Trump's tweets. |
| The response from Republican Party representatives has been muted so far. | The response from Republican Party representatives has been muted so far. |
| The episode has echoes of the racially-charged rhetoric Mr Trump used in tweets lambasting four Democratic congresswomen of colour earlier this month. | The episode has echoes of the racially-charged rhetoric Mr Trump used in tweets lambasting four Democratic congresswomen of colour earlier this month. |
| Mr Trump suggested the congresswomen - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar, all of whom are US citizens - should "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. | Mr Trump suggested the congresswomen - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar, all of whom are US citizens - should "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. |
| What sparked Mr Trump's tweets? | What sparked Mr Trump's tweets? |
| Last week, Mr Cummings lashed out at acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and conditions at migrant detention centres at a congressional hearing. | Last week, Mr Cummings lashed out at acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and conditions at migrant detention centres at a congressional hearing. |
| In a heated exchange with Mr McAleenan, Mr Cummings demanded "improvement" at border facilities. | In a heated exchange with Mr McAleenan, Mr Cummings demanded "improvement" at border facilities. |
| Mr Cummings, who represents Maryland's 7th congressional district, suggested the Trump administration had "an empathy deficit" in its handling of migrants. | Mr Cummings, who represents Maryland's 7th congressional district, suggested the Trump administration had "an empathy deficit" in its handling of migrants. |
| Posting to Twitter on Saturday, Mr Trump appeared outraged at Mr Cumming's comments. | Posting to Twitter on Saturday, Mr Trump appeared outraged at Mr Cumming's comments. |
| The tweets also come days after a Democratic-led congressional committee voted to subpoena the private communications of senior White House officials. | The tweets also come days after a Democratic-led congressional committee voted to subpoena the private communications of senior White House officials. |
| Mr Cummings accused the Trump administration of not keeping communications records in compliance with federal law. | Mr Cummings accused the Trump administration of not keeping communications records in compliance with federal law. |
| The committee's investigation is one of several being pursued by House Democrats into the president and his administration. | The committee's investigation is one of several being pursued by House Democrats into the president and his administration. |
| What reaction has there been to Mr Trump's tweets? | |
| Democratic lawmakers have reacted with indignation, fuelling the bitter antagonism towards Mr Trump's rhetoric on Twitter. | |
| Elizabeth Warren, a presidential candidate for 2020, joined Ms Pelosi in characterising Mr Trump's remarks as racist. | |
| "Donald Trump once again is a racist who makes ever more outrageous racist remarks. It is insulting, both to the congressman and to the people he represents," Ms Warren said in a video shared by The Hill. | |
| Joe Biden, the Democratic frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020, scorned the president's tweets as an example of why he is "unfit to hold the office". | |
| Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Ms Tlaib, two of the so-called "squad" congresswomen who Mr Trump previously told to "go back", rallied around Mr Cummings. | |
| "Yo Trump, Hands off #ourchairman @RepCummings who is centered in American values that you will never understand. He is a fighter for the people and a leader you will never be," Ms Tlaib wrote. | |
| More on race in the US | |
| Ms Ocasio-Cortez hailed Mr Cummings as "a legendary coach who brings the best out of everyone", adding that "he makes the country better". | |
| California Senator Kamala Harris, whose national 2020 campaign headquarters is located in Baltimore, also defended the city. | |
| "Baltimore has become home to my team and it's disgraceful the president has chosen to start his morning disparaging this great American city," Ms Harris posted. | |
| In a later tweet, Mr Trump doubled down on his criticism of Mr Cummings, who he accused of "trying to hurt innocent people through oversight". | |
| The president retweeted a video, shared by actor Terrence Williams, which purportedly shows a large mound of rubbish dumped in front of a house in West Baltimore. | |
| Mr Trump urges his followers to "take a look" at the "badly run district", signing off the tweet with the hashtag #BlacksForTrump2020. |