At a recent press conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel railed against President Donald Trump and his racist Twitter rant about four Democrat congresswomen, adding her voice to a growing number of world leaders who are speaking out against him.
Responding to Trump’s hateful tweets, which started on Sunday, saying that the four congresswomen – all US citizens – should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came, Merkel said that Trump’s racist comments and behavior “thwarts America’s strength.”
“I firmly distance myself from that, and I feel solidarity with the three women who have been attacked.”
-German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Trump’s recent comments to four congresswomen
Making headlines around the world is her clear statement that she “stands in solidarity” with the four women under attack by Trump and also that she wishes to distance herself “without question” from Trump’s comments. Joining former First Lady Michelle Obama’s sentiment in her recently stated beliefs about the importance of America’s diversity, she said, “People of very different nationalities have contributed to the strength of this people.”
A reporter asked if Merkel stands with the US congresswomen of color who were verbally attacked by Donald Trump.
Her answer was clear and brief: pic.twitter.com/1cvjdBREQG— DW Politics (@dw_politics) July 19, 2019
Other world leaders who have also spoken out in condemnation against Trump’s outlandish tweets include Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, among others.
Interestingly enough, of all the congresswomen Trump instructed to “go back” to their home countries, all but one – Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota – were born right here in the US. Omar was born in Somalia but became a US citizen at the age of 17. The other women under Trump’s twitter attack were Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, all women of color and outspoken Trump critics.
Despite the outcry of condemnation, Trump has not let off the gas on the rhetoric, continuing to comment and bicker online while claiming the four congresswomen “hate” America and telling them to leave if they don’t like it. In typical Trump fashion, he is indignant in his responses, saying, “It doesn’t concern me, because many people agree with me.”