Crowd that called for Somali-born Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to be ‘sent back’ are ‘patriots’, Donald Trump says
- US president has backtracked from earlier criticisms of a North Carolina campaign crowd that chanted ‘send her back’ about Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
- He defended the rally-goers while again questioning the loyalty of four Democratic lawmakers of colour
Trump defended the rally-goers as “patriots” while again questioning the loyalty of four Democratic lawmakers of colour.
His comments marked a return to a pattern that has become familiar during controversies of his own making: Ignite a firestorm, backtrack from it, but then double down on his original, inflammatory position.
When reporters at the White House asked if he was unhappy with the Wednesday night crowd, Trump responded: “Those are incredible people. They are incredible patriots. But I’m unhappy when a congresswoman goes and says, ‘I’m going to be the president’s nightmare’.”
It was another dizzying twist in a saga sparked by the president’s racist tweets about Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who moved from Somalia as a child, and her colleagues Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.