Politics

Off-the-Rails President Takes to Twitter in Anti-Semitic and Racist Rant

Trump singled out members of Congress, all Jewish or women of color, calling them “savages”

September 28, 2019

US President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for a Hispanic Heritage Month, at the White House in Washington, DC. YURI GRIPAS/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

With the continuing pressure of an impeachment inquiry underway and the never ending flow of damning and controversial news, President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Saturday with a racist and anti-Semitic rant.

In one tweet, Trump singled out members of Congress Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who are both Jewish, and “AOC Plus 3,” referring to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and three other congresswomen who are all women of color, calling them “savages.”

“Can you imagine if these Do Nothing Democrat Savages, people like Nadler, Schiff, AOC Plus 3, and many more, had a Republican Party who would have done to Obama what the Do Nothings are doing to me. Oh well, maybe next time!” the president tweeted.

Can you imagine if these Do Nothing Democrat Savages, people like Nadler, Schiff, AOC Plus 3, and many more, had a Republican Party who would have done to Obama what the Do Nothings are doing to me. Oh well, maybe next time!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2019

Journalists and presidential candidates alike reacted on Twitter, pointing out the bigotry contained in the president’s rant.

Beto O’Rourke called Trump’s tweet dangerous, writing, “When he calls 6 members of Congress—all women of color or Jewish—’savages,’ he wants you to think of them as less than human. Like when he calls immigrants an ‘infestation’ and says ‘no human being’ would want to live in Baltimore. We can’t be surprised when violence follows.”

When he calls 6 members of Congress—all women of color or Jewish—“savages,” he wants you to think of them as less than human. Like when he calls immigrants an “infestation” and says "no human being" would want to live in Baltimore. We can’t be surprised when violence follows. https://t.co/F0fVi3MmD8

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 28, 2019

Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman pointed out how blatant the president’s racism was, writing, “wow he’s calling two Jews and a Hispanic ‘savages.’ It’s all out in the open now.”

wow he’s calling two Jews and a Hispanic “savages.” It’s all out in the open now. https://t.co/g0UVqDq8xK

— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) September 28, 2019

Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank also pointed out who the president chose to single out in his tweet as compared to how many support impeachment overall. “See how he does that?” he wrote. “More than 200 House Democrats support impeachment, but the ones he singles out as ‘Savages’ are two Jews and four women of color.”

See how he does that? More than 200 House Democrats support impeachment, but the ones he singles out as “Savages” are two Jews and four women of color. https://t.co/OBEHTphXSv

— Dana Milbank (@Milbank) September 28, 2019

After the bigoted tweet, Trump then sent out off three rapid-fire all caps tweets, all within a minute of each other. In the first, he framed himself as the victim: “PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!” And then he tweeted his original campaign slogan: “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” followed by his imaginative new slogan: “KEEP AMERICA GREAT!”