Eyeing 2020 vote, Trump doubles down on xenophobic tweets

US President Donald Trump, shrugging off criticism from Democrats and even some members of his Republican Party, stepped up his extraordinary attack on four progressive Democratic congresswomen on Monday, saying if they're not happy in the United States, "they can leave."
"These are people that hate our country," he said. "If you're not happy here, you can leave."
Trump also accused the four Democratic congresswomen -- who are of Hispanic, Arab and African-American origin -- of having "love" for US "enemies like Al-Qaeda."
Asked by a reporter whether he was concerned that many people saw his comments as racist, Trump said: "It doesn't concern me because many people agree with me."

Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she disagreed with the policies espoused by the "far-left" Democratic lawmakers but added that "the president's tweet that some members of Congress should go back to the 'places from which they came' was way over the line, and he should take that down."
Will Hurd, the only black Republican in the House of Representatives, told CNN that Trump's tweets were "racist and xenophobic" and "behaviour that's unbecoming of the leader of the free world."

Senator Tim Scott, a black Republican from South Carolina, criticized Trump for using "unacceptable personal attacks and racially offensive language" while Republican Representative Mike Turner of Ohio said the remarks were "racist and he should apologise."

"If (the Democrats) want to gear their wagons around these four people, I think they're going to have a very tough election, because I don't think the people of the United States will stand for it."
Pelosi also said she was seeking Republicans to co-sponsor a resolution in the House "condemning the president's xenophobic tweets" and "characterization of immigrants."