From left, US Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York hold a news conference in Washington on Monday, the day after President Donald Trump tweeted that these four lawmakers should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." Trump stood by those remarks on Monday, denying they were racially motivated. Three of the four congresswomen in question were born in the US and all four are US citizens.
In pictures: How 'the Squad' stood up to Trump's racist attack
From left, US Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York hold a news conference in Washington on Monday, the day after President Donald Trump tweeted that these four lawmakers should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." Trump stood by those remarks on Monday, denying they were racially motivated. Three of the four congresswomen in question were born in the US and all four are US citizens.
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Updated 4:20 PM EDT, Tue July 16, 2019

After a volley of racist attacks by the President of the United States, four Democratic congresswomen of color responded to those insults as a unified front.

Calling a news conference on Capitol Hill on Monday evening, freshmen Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota each took time to respond in their own words.

It was a striking moment in political history, as the four Democratic representatives, who are casually referred to as a group as "the Squad," spoke to a national audience as few freshmen lawmakers have done in recent history.

Omar, who with Tlaib was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, answers questions from the media at their news conference Monday. During her remarks, Omar said Trump's attack to "go back" to their home countries, was a familiar slur hurled at people of color. "Every single person who is brown or black, at some point in their life in this country, heard that," she said.
Omar, who with Tlaib was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, answers questions from the media at their news conference Monday. During her remarks, Omar said Trump's attack to "go back" to their home countries, was a familiar slur hurled at people of color. "Every single person who is brown or black, at some point in their life in this country, heard that," she said.
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Omar, the only member of the Squad to have been born outside the US, responds to questions from reporters at their news conference. Omar has faced some of the sharpest criticism and Trump made publicly a false claim about Omar's comments on Al Qaeda. "I will not dignify it with an answer because I know that every single Islamophobe, every single person who is hateful, who is driven by an ideology of 'othering' as this President is rejoices in us responding to that, us defending ourselves," she said.
Omar, the only member of the Squad to have been born outside the US, responds to questions from reporters at their news conference. Omar has faced some of the sharpest criticism and Trump made publicly a false claim about Omar's comments on Al Qaeda. "I will not dignify it with an answer because I know that every single Islamophobe, every single person who is hateful, who is driven by an ideology of 'othering' as this President is rejoices in us responding to that, us defending ourselves," she said.
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Omar and Ocasio-Cortez embrace during the news conference at the US Capitol. Omar has faced criticism for several comments she has made both before and after she was elected that were condemned by both sides of the aisle as anti-Semitic. Omar has apologized for some of the remarks she's made, but has not shied away from criticizing the actions of the Israeli government, which has made a common target -- not just for the President -- but for Republicans across Capitol Hill.
Omar and Ocasio-Cortez embrace during the news conference at the US Capitol. Omar has faced criticism for several comments she has made both before and after she was elected that were condemned by both sides of the aisle as anti-Semitic. Omar has apologized for some of the remarks she's made, but has not shied away from criticizing the actions of the Israeli government, which has made a common target -- not just for the President -- but for Republicans across Capitol Hill.
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Pressley attends the news conference after Democrats in the House announced they would vote on a resolution to formally condemn Trump's racist attacks. Pressley referred to Trump's Twitter attacks as a "disruptive distraction" and said that she would encourage the American people "to not take the bait."
Pressley attends the news conference after Democrats in the House announced they would vote on a resolution to formally condemn Trump's racist attacks. Pressley referred to Trump's Twitter attacks as a "disruptive distraction" and said that she would encourage the American people "to not take the bait."
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Omar, Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez look on as Pressley speaks to the media on Monday. "Our squad is big," Pressley told reporters, pushing back against those -- including Democrats -- who have suggested their influence is limited to just four votes in the House. "Our squad includes any person committed to building a more equitable and just world and that is the work that we want to get back to and given the size of this squad and this great nation," Pressley said. "We cannot, we will not be silenced."
Omar, Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez look on as Pressley speaks to the media on Monday. "Our squad is big," Pressley told reporters, pushing back against those -- including Democrats -- who have suggested their influence is limited to just four votes in the House. "Our squad includes any person committed to building a more equitable and just world and that is the work that we want to get back to and given the size of this squad and this great nation," Pressley said. "We cannot, we will not be silenced."
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Tlaib speaks at the news conference Monday. She told CNN's Wolf Blitzer after the news conference that Trump's comments are consistent with his policies. "This is a dangerous ideology that is seeping into policy making from caging people at the border and the debate around the census question, the citizenship question on the census and this is tied to the ideology of the president that is dangerous and impactful," Tlaib said.
Tlaib speaks at the news conference Monday. She told CNN's Wolf Blitzer after the news conference that Trump's comments are consistent with his policies. "This is a dangerous ideology that is seeping into policy making from caging people at the border and the debate around the census question, the citizenship question on the census and this is tied to the ideology of the president that is dangerous and impactful," Tlaib said.
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Pressley, who defeated an incumbent Democrat in an upset primary win last year for her seat, addresses the media at the US Capitol on Monday. During her remarks, she referred to Trump as "the occupant of our White House." "I will always refer to him as the occupant as he is only occupying space. He does not embody the grace, the empathy, the compassion, the integrity that the office requires and that the American people deserve," she said.
Pressley, who defeated an incumbent Democrat in an upset primary win last year for her seat, addresses the media at the US Capitol on Monday. During her remarks, she referred to Trump as "the occupant of our White House." "I will always refer to him as the occupant as he is only occupying space. He does not embody the grace, the empathy, the compassion, the integrity that the office requires and that the American people deserve," she said.
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Tlaib, Pressley, Omar and Ocasio-Cortez pause between answering questions during their press conference. "The Squad," as they've come to be known on Capitol Hill, had been targeted by Trump in a series of racist tweets, but they've also recently found themselves fighting with Democratic Party leadership, though Trump's tweet appear to have unified the party publicly at least for now. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did swiftly come to their defense after Trump's tweets. "I reject @realDonaldTrump's xenophobic comments meant to divide our nation. Rather than attack Members of Congress, he should work with us for humane immigration policy that reflects American values," Pelosi tweeted.
Tlaib, Pressley, Omar and Ocasio-Cortez pause between answering questions during their press conference. "The Squad," as they've come to be known on Capitol Hill, had been targeted by Trump in a series of racist tweets, but they've also recently found themselves fighting with Democratic Party leadership, though Trump's tweet appear to have unified the party publicly at least for now. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did swiftly come to their defense after Trump's tweets. "I reject @realDonaldTrump's xenophobic comments meant to divide our nation. Rather than attack Members of Congress, he should work with us for humane immigration policy that reflects American values," Pelosi tweeted.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pause between answering questions during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, July 15 in Washington, DC. "The Squad," as they've come to be known on Capitol Hill, had been targeted by U.S. President Trump in a series of racist tweets.
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pause between answering questions during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, July 15 in Washington, DC. "The Squad," as they've come to be known on Capitol Hill, had been targeted by U.S. President Trump in a series of racist tweets.
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