‘Doesn’t That Strike You As a Bit Racist?’ Tapper Confronts GOP Senator After Trump Says Muslim Lawmakers Should Be Sent ‘Back’

CNN’s Jake Tapper read a nasty social media post from President Donald Trump on Wednesday, and asked Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) if the post is “racist.”

Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump attacked Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for heckling him during the State of the Union the night before, as he railed against “illegal aliens.” Omar and Tlaib, who are the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, eventually left before the address was over.

On Wednesday’s edition of The Lead, Tapper read excerpts from the post to Johnson.

“[T]hey had the bulging, bloodshot eyes of crazy people, LUNATICS, mentally deranged and sick who, frankly, look like they should be institutionalized,” Trump said of the two Democratic lawmakers. “[W]e should send them back from where they came — as fast as possible.”

“Rashida Tlaib is an American citizen, born in this country,” Tapper told Johnson. “And of course, Ilhan Omar was a refugee and is an American citizen as well. Obviously, a lot of people have issues with anyone heckling any president. But don’t you think this goes a little far? I mean, definitionally, telling people of color they should go back where they came from when they’re American citizens, doesn’t that strike you as a bit racist?”

Johnson responded by dodging the question entirely.

“Well, being in the chamber, it was rude to hear people disrupting the president,” Johnson replied. “I think what really amazed me is when the president asked Democrats just to reaffirm a basic principle that the American government’s primary duty, first duty, ought to be to protect American citizens, not illegal immigrants, illegal aliens. I was shocked that the vast majority, if not all Democrats, just sat on their hands like a bunch of sourpusses, quite honestly. That is a basic principle that every elected official ought to embrace. And Democrats refuse to do it.”

Watch above via CNN.

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