Is President Donald Trump racist? Xenophobic? Or simply an angry tweeter?
Many elected representatives to Congress from the Philadelphia region appear to think the answer is yes — to all of the above.
That's according to their reactions to the president’s three Sunday morning tweets in which he told four female, minority congress members to go back to “broken and crime infested” countries they came from.
(All four are American citizens, and only one was born outside the United States.)
.@realdonaldtrump’s attack on four of my Democratic Colleagues was racist and un-American. They are American citizens and elected to Congress by their fellow Americans, and they are doing their duty to address corruption and ineptitude in the Trump Administration.
— Mike Doyle (@USRepMikeDoyle) July 15, 2019
The four he attacked on Twitter are Democratic U.S. representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Here are the reactions from local lawmakers in Congress. They include four Republicans and 13 Democrats. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, included below, became the first Republican senator to issue a statement on the tweets.
....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania
"President Trump was wrong to suggest that four left-wing congresswomen should go back to where they came from. Three of the four were born in America and the citizenship of all four is as valid as mine. I couldn’t disagree more with these congresswomen’s views on immigration, socialism, national security, and virtually every policy issue. But they are entitled to their opinions, however misguided they may be. We should defeat their ideas on the merits, not on the basis of their ancestry."
....it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania
So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey
So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey
As part of our State of Black America: Los Angeles tour, @repkarenbass and @repdwightevans toured Skid Row. Homelessness is an epidemic in LA and throughout the country. You can’t understand the issue fully without seeing it firsthand. pic.twitter.com/7rVtp8lB3r
— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) July 14, 2019
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican representing Pennsylvania's 1st District
"As the Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, Congressman Fitzpatrick has repeatedly stressed the critical need for civility in our discourse, from the kitchen table to the White House and everywhere in between. Pointing out differences in policy proposals is ok. Personal attacks on others are not ok."
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 2nd District
U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 3rd District
U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 4th District
U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 5th District
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 6th District
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, Democrat representing Pennsylvania's 7th District
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, Republican representing Pennsylvania's 11th District
U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, Democrat representing New Jersey's 1st District
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, Democrat representing New Jersey's 2nd District
"Elected officials need to stop with the name calling and hateful statements. Instead of focusing on real issues, we have heard all manner of appalling remarks from those who would rather distract from them. It is time to grow up. This behavior is shameful and disgusting. We were elected to work together and help keep this country the greatest nation in the world. We have major issues to tackle and we keep blocking our own path to solving them. Enough is enough."
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U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, Democrat representing New Jersey's 3rd District
"This language has no place in our politics. The presidency is a job that needs to transcend our politics and must not descend into name-calling and knife-fighting. I worked in the Oval Office and the Situation Room before, and it saddens me greatly to see such attacks coming from the White House, a building my immigrant parents were so proud to bring me to visit when I was a child. We have real challenges in our country and our politics are making it much harder to try and find solutions. The President should focus on helping those in need by lowering prescription drug costs and addressing the opioid epidemic, instead of launching unacceptable attacks against those he disagrees with."
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, Republican representing New Jersey's 4th District
- Did not issue a statement; could not be reached for comment
