Patrick Semansky, File via AP, Evan Vucci/AP
- Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back at President Donald Trump, saying the "corrupt" and "broken and crime infested" country he seemed to tell her to "go back" to early Sunday was the United States.
- Ocasio-Cortez agreed with Trump about the rampant corruption he mentioned, saying it resulted from his administration destroying "our border with inhumane camps."
- Trump had tweeted earlier in the day, telling four freshman Democratic representatives they "can't leave fast enough" to "go back and help fix" the "places from which they came."
- Three of the four progressive Congresswomen that Trump appeared to be referencing were born in the US.
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Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back at a tweet from President Donald Trump, who said Sunday that the progressive Congresswomen dubbed the Squad should go back to the "corrupt" and "broken and crime infested" countries from which they came (three of them were actually born in the US).
The New York representative tweeted hours later saying, "Mr. President, the country I 'come from,' & the country we all swear to, is the United States."
She added, "But given how you've destroyed our border with inhumane camps, all at a benefit to you & the corps who profit off them, you are absolutely right about the corruption laid at your feet."
In his tweets, Trump suggested that four congresswomen, most likely referring to the "Squad" of freshman progressives, "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)," and should "go back and help fix" the "places from which they came."
"These places need your help badly, you can't leave fast enough," Trump tweeted, adding, "I'm sure Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!"
Read more: Trump tells progressive freshman congresswomen to 'go back' to 'broken and crime infested' countries
Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. Only Rep. Ilhan Omar was born outside the US, before she says came to the country as a refugee from her native Somalia.
On Twitter, Rep. Omar said, "Mr. President, As Members of Congress, the only country we swear an oath to is the United States. Which is why we are fighting to protect it from the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen."
Freshman Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, also responded with a tweet saying, "He is the crisis. His dangerous ideology is the crisis. He needs to be impeached."
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also quick to join in on the clash, saying Trump's tweet showed him reaffirming "his plan to "Make America Great Again" has always been about making America white again. Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power."
You are angry because you don't believe in an America where I represent New York 14, where the good people of Minnesota elected @IlhanMN, where @RashidaTlaib fights for Michigan families, where @AyannaPressley champions little girls in Boston.
/2
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 14, 2019
But you know what's the rub of it all, Mr. President?
On top of not accepting an America that elected us, you cannot accept that we don't fear you,either.
You can't accept that we will call your bluff & offer a positive vision for this country. And that's what makes you seethe.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 14, 2019
....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
....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
Mr. President,
As Members of Congress, the only country we swear an oath to is the United States.
Which is why we are fighting to protect it from the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen. https://t.co/FBygHa2QTt
- Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 14, 2019
When @realDonaldTrump tells four American Congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to "Make America Great Again" has always been about making America white again.
Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. https://t.co/ODqqHneyES
- Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 14, 2019