Dan and Axios CEO Jim VandeHei discuss whether Trump's inflammatory tweets were premeditated or spontaneous, and what it portends for the rest of his presidential campaign.
Go deeper: Trump's premeditated racism is central to his 2020 strategy
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told reporters Saturday that President Trump's tweets about Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and the Baltimore-area district he represents are "ugly and racist."
The big picture: Trump doubled down on his earlier attacks on Cummings and the majority-black Baltimore-area district — which he called a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess" — retweeting fellow Republicans, who said "[t]his has nothing to do with race." Warren told Fox News that Trump's tweets were "part of his overall pattern of trying to stir up as much hatred and dissension in America as possible."
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Trump arrives at the "Make America Great Again" rally at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, North Carolina, on July 17. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
Trump supporters chanted "send her back" at a re-election rally on Wednesday, after President Trump listed his grievances with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
The big picture: The House voted 240-187 yesterday to condemn Trump's racist tweets against the 4 Democratic congresswomen of color, all of whom are American citizens. In his tweets, Trump said the congresswomen should "go back" to where they came from.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said at a New York City town hall Saturday that President Trump's "go back" tweets targeting her and 3 other Democratic congresswomen of color show his hardline immigration policies are really about racism.
Once you start telling American citizens to quote 'go back to your own countries,' this tells you that this president's policies are not about immigration, it's about ethnicity and racism."
Why it matters: Trump's associates told Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen that race-baiting is central to his 2020 strategy. Per Axios' Sara Fischer, much of Trump's Facebook spending is focused heavily on immigration messaging, as he targets older, white voters and Latino voters.
The big picture: During her town hall, broadcast on The National Desk's Facebook page, Ocasio-Cortez rejected Trump's claim that he tried to quiet a "send her back" chant directed at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during a North Carolina campaign rally on Wednesday.
"Roll back the tape. ... He relished it. He took it in and he's doing this intentionally."
Go deeper: A tough time to be a Trump supporter