It took a little while, but prominent Republicans have condemned President Trump‘s tweet urging four Democratic congresswomen to “go back” to the countries they “originally came from.”
Earlier today (Monday), Trump refused to back away from the tweet, presumably aimed at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Democratic leaders were quick to criticize the President’s comment as xenophobic, and after a day of criticism from all corners, Republicans have begun doing the same.
Senator Mitt Romney of Utah says he disagrees with the congresswomen’s politics, but “the President has a unique and noble calling to unite all Americans regardless of our creeds, or race, or place of our national origin and I think in that case, the President fell far short.”
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is even more blunt, tweeting, “There is no excuse for the President’s spiteful comments — they were absolutely unacceptable and this needs to stop. Instead of digging deeper into the mud with personal, vindictive insults — we must demand a higher standard of decorum and decency.”
And Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina even weighed in. Though he calls the congresswomen “communists” who “hate our own country,” he urges Trump to “aim higher… Don’t get personal. Don’t take the bait.”
Other Republicans criticizing the remarks include Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Susan Collins of Maine, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Will Hurd of Texas. (USA Today)