President Trump seeks to distance himself from supporters' 'send her back' chant
Trump denounced the chant at the North Carolina rally, but scolded Rep. Ilhan Omar and the rest of the so-called 'Squad' of progressive Democrats; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is standing alongside a group of female congressional Democrats that President Trump criticized over the weekend, saying that his remarks were unbecoming of “the strength of America.”
Speaking to reporters in Berlin at her annual summer news conference Friday, Merkel said she stills sees a basis of common values with Trump despite his remarks on Twitter Sunday in which he asked why unnamed "Democrat Congresswomen" don't "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came, then come back and show us how it is done."
"People of very different nationalities have contributed to the strength of the American people, so these are ... comments that very much run counter to this firm impression that I have," she said.
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"This is something that contradicts the strength of America."
The 64-year-old German leader was pressed further on the issue later that day. She reportedly said she felt “solidarity” with those under “attack.”
"Yes. I distance myself firmly from this and feel solidarity with the three women who were attacked."
Trump was, in fact, referencing four lawmakers - Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.
Omar was born in Somalia before coming to the U.S. and becoming a citizen. The other congresswomen were all born in the U.S.
Other world leaders have joined in criticizing Trump’s remarks, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Speaking at the EU-Canada Summit in Montreal Friday, Trudeau said the “comments made were hurtful, wrong and completely unacceptable.”
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“I want everyone in Canada to know that those comments are completely unacceptable and should not be allowed or encouraged in Canada.”
Trudeau said Monday that the diversity of his country is one of its “greatest strengths.”
Outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May also said Monday that the remarks were “completely unacceptable,” according to a BBC report.
Fox News’ Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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