Democratic congresswomen targeted by Trump fire back


The four progressive Democratic lawmakers targeted by President Trump in a series of racist tweets over the weekend held nothing back during a press conference on Monday.
"We can continue to enable this president and report on the bile of garbage that comes out of his mouth, or we can hold him accountable for his crimes," Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said. "It is time for us to stop allowing this president to make a mockery out of our constitution. It is time to impeach this president."
On Sunday, Trump referenced Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Omar in several tweets, saying they "originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe" and the women needed to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Pressley were all born in the U.S.; Omar's family fled Somalia more than 20 years ago, and she is now a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Pressley said Trump's remarks — which he refused to apologize for on Monday — are "simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous, chaotic, and corrupt culture of this administration. I encourage the American people and all of us in this room and beyond not to take the bait." As for Ocasio-Cortez, she believes Trump "does not know how to defend his policies and so what he does is attack us personally."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Music reviews: Bruce Springsteen and Benson Boone
Feature "Tracks II: The Lost Albums" and "American Heart"
-
Why passkeys are the next frontier in digital security
A disruptive new technology promises to put passwords to bed forever — but not yet
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible