Jul 15, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Barr tells anti-Semitism summit identity politics is creating hatred

Rebecca Falconer

Attorney General William Barr speaks during a "Combating Anti-Semitism Summit" at the Justice Department July 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. — Attorney General Bill Barr. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Attorney General Bill Barr said in a speech during the Combating Anti-Semitism Summit at the Justice Department Monday that groups fighting "under the banner of identity politics" are dividing Americans.

"[U]nder the banner of identity politics some political factions are seeking to obtain power by dividing Americans and they undermine the values that draw us together, such as a shared commitment to our country's success. This is the breeding ground for hatred and we must reject it."

Why it matters: Barr made the comments a day after President Trump tweeted that some progressive lawmakers should "go back" and fix the "crime infested places from which they came." Trump later doubled down on the tweets, which have been denounced by Democrats and some Republicans for being racist.

The big picture: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who along with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) were the target of Trumps tweets, said the president was "stoking white nationalism."

Of the 4 progressive congresswomen targeted, only Omar is an immigrant to the United States.

Go deeper: Trump's racist "go back" tweets highlight his us-vs.-them politics

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Barr tells anti-Semitism summit identity politics is creating hatred

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