BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty has voiced fury over US President Donald Trump’s recent tweets telling four female Democratic politicians to “go back” to the countries from which they came.
It came after Munchetty and fellow host Dan Walker spoke on the programme to Trump Victory 2020 campaigner Jan Halper-Hayes, who insisted the president “is not a racist”.
Following the interview, Munchetty reflected on her own experiences on the issue.
"I've been told as a woman of colour to 'go home'…"@BBCNaga shares her experience as we discuss the reaction to comments made by President Trump. pic.twitter.com/u0HL5tEdgt
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 17, 2019
She said: “Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.
“Now, I’m not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean.”
She later said she is “furious” about the comments, and that “a lot of people in this country” will feel the same way.
On Sunday, Mr Trump shared a string of messages to Twitter in which he made references to politicians Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib – all of whom are US citizens and three of whom were born in America.
Those Tweets were NOT Racist. I don’t have a Racist bone in my body! The so-called vote to be taken is a Democrat con game. Republicans should not show “weakness” and fall into their trap. This should be a vote on the filthy language, statements and lies told by the Democrat…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2019
He said they “originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world”, before saying: “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
Mr Trump later said: “I don’t have a racist bone in my body,” and that fellow Republicans should “not show weakness” regarding criticism of his tweets.
During BBC Breakfast, Walker asked Munchetty if she feels Mr Trump’s language “legitimises other people to use it”, to which she replied: “Yes.”
She said: “It’s not enough to do it just to get attention. He’s in a responsible position.”
On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives voted to pass a resolution to condemn the president’s words.
The resolution denounced Mr Trump for “racist comments that have legitimised fear and hatred of New Americans and people of colour”.