Washington – After being singled out by President Donald Trump with racist tweets, four Democratic congresswomen, including Minnesota's Ilhan Omar, chose to stand together before the cameras and defend their vision for their country.
Omar and her three colleagues — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — held a news conference on Monday in the Capitol to respond to Trump's attacks, saying they were not surprised by the president's remarks and vowed not to be silenced by them.
Omar hit back hard at Trump, criticizing what she called "the bile and garbage that comes out of his mouth" and renewing her call to impeach Trump, who she said has "overseen the most corrupt administration in our history."
"This is the agenda of white nationalists. … This is his plan to pit us against one another," Omar said.
Pressley voiced gratitude for the support the four have received in light of the "most recent xenophobic, bigoted remarks from the occupant of our White House."
"I encourage the American people and all of us — in this room and beyond — to not take the bait," Pressley said.
Addressing the nation's children, Ocasio-Cortez rejected Trump's words and said that they were the opposite of what America stands for. "No matter what the president says, this country belongs to you. And it belongs to everyone. … This weekend, that very notion was challenged," she said.
Meanwhile Trump, speaking at a White House event on Monday to honor American manufacturers, including Minnesota-based 3M, renewed his assault on Omar during a formal presentation before dozens of business owners gathered on the South Lawn to celebrate American entrepreneurship.