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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 |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi has accused US President Donald Trump of "racist attacks" in his tweets about an African-American lawmaker. | 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. |
| President Trump's remarks come just weeks after he was criticised for another tweet telling "'progressive' Democrat congresswomen" to "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. | President Trump's remarks come just weeks after he was criticised for another tweet telling "'progressive' Democrat congresswomen" to "go back" to the "crime infested" places they came from. |
| The message was aimed at four lawmakers of colour - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar - all of whom are US citizens. | The message was aimed at four lawmakers of colour - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar - all of whom are US citizens. |
| What sparked Mr Trump's latest tweets? | What sparked Mr Trump's latest 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 further reaction has there been to Mr Trump's tweets? | What further reaction has there been to Mr Trump's tweets? |
| A prolific critic of Mr Trump, Mr Cummings has 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 has 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." |
| In another tweet, 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". | In another tweet, 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". |
| The response from Republican Party representatives has been muted so far. | The response from Republican Party representatives has been muted so far. |
| But many other Democrats have derided Mr Trump's latest remarks. | But many other Democrats have derided Mr Trump's latest remarks. |
| Joe Biden, the frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020's presidential election, scorned the president's tweets as an example of why he is "unfit to hold the office". | Joe Biden, the frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020's presidential election, scorned the president's tweets as an example of why he is "unfit to hold the office". |
| In a video shared by The Hill, Elizabeth Warren - another presidential candidate - added that President Trump's "racist" remarks were "insulting both to the congressman and to the people he represents". | In a video shared by The Hill, Elizabeth Warren - another presidential candidate - added that President Trump's "racist" remarks were "insulting both to the congressman and to the people he represents". |
| More on race in the US | More on race in the US |
| Since his initial comments, Mr Trump has attacked Mr Cummings in several other tweets. | Since his initial comments, Mr Trump has attacked Mr Cummings in several other tweets. |
| "Cummings has done nothing but milk Baltimore dry, but the public is getting wise to the bad job that he is doing!," read one. | "Cummings has done nothing but milk Baltimore dry, but the public is getting wise to the bad job that he is doing!," read one. |
| The president has also retweeted a video shared by actor Terrence Williams which allegedly shows a large mound of rubbish dumped outside a house in West Baltimore. | The president has also retweeted a video shared by actor Terrence Williams which allegedly shows a large mound of rubbish dumped outside a house in West Baltimore. |
| Mr Trump urged his followers to "take a look" at the "badly run district", signing off the tweet with the hashtag #BlacksForTrump2020. |