Former Utah Republican Rep. Mia Love is catching heat for defending President Donald Trump after his series of racist tweets attacking progressive Democratic congresswomen of color.
Love appeared on CNN’s “New Day” on Monday morning to weigh in on the president’s latest Twitter rant, in which he urged the progressive Dems to “go back” to the “crime-infested” countries from which they came. The ex- congresswoman, who lost her bid for re-election last year, tip-toed around the issue when asked about Trump’s vitriol, describing his rhetoric as “icky” and refusing to call him out on his racism.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1150381394234941448
“I do not like using that word,” Love replied when asked if she thought the president’s tweets were racist. “I’m not going to get into the mind of somebody.”
And for that, critics nailed her to the wall.
“Mia Love is being ridiculous on CNN @NewDay,” one Twitter user opined. “Calling Trump a racist as a black woman is not too hard, as evidenced by what we are seeing. While talking about those important policies, we can’t turn our blind eyes on moral issues. It’s shameful to call this racist a ‘President,’ he is awful.”
“Mia Love keeps missing the point,” another chimed in. “They’re asking her if Trump’s tweets were racist [and] she says; “he’s not a racist” (that wasn’t question); that she doesn’t like the words and they don’t affect her because she knows who she is. #CNN”
The congresswoman’s latest take on the matter was a sharp contradiction to her initial statements, in which the Haitian-American politician expressed “frustration” over Trump’s tweets and called for a stop to his racist antics.
“I’m not making any excuses for him. It has to stop,” Love, who was the first black female Republican elected to Congress, told CNN on Sunday. “I always feel like I’m not part of the ‘America First’ that he goes out and talks about all the time.”
“I don’t like any of it and I’ve always called him out on tweets,” she added, arguing that Trump should be “more presidential.” “Everyone is tired of not being a representative of everyone in this country. And when you are the president of the United States, you represent all Americans.”
Love’s sudden about-face angered critics, who deemed her behavior “cowardly.” Many wondered why the former representative would cape for Trump, considering how he celebrated her loss after the 2018 midterm elections. The president at the time complained that Love “gave me no love” by refusing to embrace his tough-on-crime agenda, and cited that as the reason for her defeat.
“Now ex-Rep Mia Love is on again — who, as a Haitian-American republican was attacked by POTUS and lost her seat, yesterday refused to address the tweets directly, and still refuses to do so today, using cowardly words like ‘icky’ instead,” a woman on Twitter wrote. “Even with nothing to lose — cowards.”
“Wake up Mia Love!!!,” another critic tweeted before adding, #SilenceEqualsCompliance.”
Trump drew swift condemnation Sunday when he hurled a series of racist tweets at a group of liberal congresswomen who have been vocal critics of him and the immigration policies pushed by his administration.
Though he didn’t name names, the president’s attacks appeared to be aimed at the “Fab Freshmen”: Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)
“[It’s] So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the U.S. … how our government should be run,” the president tweeted.
“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came,” he added, ignoring the fact that three of the four women are U.S.-born; Omar, a Somali immigrant, is a naturalized citizen.
“Come back and show us how it’s done,” Trump tweeted, adding, “these places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough.”
The same morning as Love’s appearance on CNN, Trump doubled down on his tweets from the weekend, calling on the congresswomen to apologize to him and the state of Israel.
“When will the Radical Left Congresswomen apologize to our Country, the people of Israel and even to the Office of the President, for the foul language they have used, and the terrible things they have said,” Trump tweeted Monday.
Watch more in the video below.
