Somali-born legislator marks Trump 'fascist' after taunt rally

The First MPs-all but one, Omar-were born in the United States-were of Hispanic, Arab, somali and African American origin.

Democratic Congressman Ilhan Omar called Thursday "fascist" Donald Trump as the president tried to dissociate himself from the mockery of " send her away!"directed against the Somali-born lawmaker by his supporters.

"We said this president was racist, we condemned his racist remarks," said Omar, one of the two Muslim women in Congress. "I think he's a fascist."

Songs Of " send her away!"broke out at Trump's Make America Great Again rally in Greenville, North Carolina on Wednesday night when he attacked Omar and three other Democratic women congressmen, members of an ethnic minority known as "Squad."

Omar has received very different when she returned home to Minnesota on Thursday night and was greeted by a crowd of supporters at the airport.

"The president's nightmare is to see a Somali refugee go to Congress," she said in a megaphone.

"We are going to continue to be a nightmare for this president, because his policy is a nightmare for us."

Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Thursday that there had been "a lot of energy" at his previous rally, but he was not thrilled by the mockery.

"I wasn't happy when I heard that song," he said. "I didn't like that they did, and I started talking quickly."

Television footage, however, showed that Trump allowed the song to continue for more than 10 seconds before speaking again.

In a rare case, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday reprimanded Trump for " racist comments "after stating that the four should" return " to their countries of origin if they are not happy in the United States.

But he said at the rally that without the Democratic presidential candidate he should focus on, he plans to launch incendiary attacks on Omar and his three Democratic compatriots, central to his re-election strategy for 2020.

The First MPs-all but one, Omar-were born in the United States-were of Hispanic, Arab, somali and African American origin.

'Rallying their base'

To the delight of his thousands of supporters in Greenville, Trump described Omar and the other three as "leftist ideologues (who) see our country as a force of evil."

"A vote for any Democrat in 2020 is a vote for the rise of radical socialism and the destruction of the American dream - frankly the destruction of our country," Trump said.

The crowd responded to her attacks with shouts of " send her away!"that reminds me of Lock it up!"hymns directed in 2016 to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Some Republicans have asked Trump to soften the blow, but the president clearly believes, despite the risk of provoking racial tensions and widening the partisan divide, that he has embarked on a winning strategy.

Trump used the grievances of white-collar workers and rural Americans to win a tight victory in 2016 and hopes to do the same next year.

"He's getting his base together," said Wendy Schiller, professor of political science at Brown University. "He thinks it's a way to piss them off now."

Trump has won 57% of white voters in 2016, compared to 37% for Clinton.

About 70% of next year's electorate should be white. African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities represent the rest and tend to vote for Democrats.

'Vile'

Several of the candidates for the Democratic presidency for 2020 condemned Trump's remarks.

"It's vile. It's cowardly. It's xenophobic. It's racist, " said California Senator Kamala Harris.

"These members of Congress - the children of immigrants, like many of us - are an example of what makes America so great," said Joe Biden, former vice president.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the women in the Democratic Congress appointed to be criticized by Trump, said she would not" go back " on social progress.

"We will not return to the era of injustice. We will not roll back our rights," she said at a Democratic fundraiser. "We will move forward."

The Republican reaction was more moderate, but some expressed themselves.

"The songs from last night's rally were shocking and I'm glad the president disowned them," said Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah.

"I strongly disagree with the extreme left and I was disgusted by their tone," said Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger. "I woke up today equally disgusted - slogans like' send her back ' are ugly, fake, and would cause chills in the back of our Founding Fathers.

"This ugliness must end, otherwise we risk our great union."

Trump's remarks were also criticized by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called them "hurtful", and by European Council President Donald Tusk, who called the remarks "totally unacceptable".