Aug 2, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Nikki Haley calls Trump's tweet about Elijah Cummings robbery "so unnecessary"

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley called President Trump's Friday tweet referencing a robbery at House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings' Baltimore home "so unnecessary" in a Twitter response.

Why it matters: Haley is the rare top former Trump administration official who left both on her own terms and in the president's good graces. Additionally, because she is often viewed as a potential GOP presidential contender in the future, her decision to directly respond to Trump — complete with an eye roll emoji —  is significant in a party that often chooses not to do so.

The backdrop: Trump tweeted this morning, "Really bad news! The Baltimore house of Elijah Cummings was robbed. Too bad!"

  • A break-in was reported at Cummings' home early Saturday morning, per CBS Baltimore — hours before Trump unleashed a barrage of Twitter attacks against the senior House Democrat. It's yet not known if anything was taken.
  • On Saturday morning, Trump called Cummings' majority-black district a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess," the latest in a series of attacks against congresspeople of color who directly oppose the president's agenda.
  • As head of House Oversight, Cummings has been a leading Trump critic, issuing subpoenas against top administration officials in the process and blasting the state of Border Patrol facilities at the southern border.

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