Inside Story

Is Donald Trump racist?

The House of Representatives has condemned as racist comments by the US president about four congresswomen.

The House’s resolution was backed by 240 votes to 187, with only four Republicans supporting the motion. 

US President Donald Trump has launched a series of attacks on the congresswomen of colour, known as “the squad”, telling them to “go back to the crime-infested places from which they came”.

The politicians – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib – were born in the United States, and Ilhan Omar came to the US as a refugee aged 12.

The remarks have been widely denounced, mainly by Democrats, who have renewed calls to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump.

But as he remains defiant, what does it mean for race and ethnicity in the US?

Presenter: Nastasya Tay

Guests:

Rina Shah – Republican strategist and consultant

Christopher Metzler – conservative commentator and author of the book Divided We Stand: The Search for America’s Soul

Christine Pelosi – Democratic strategist and the daughter of House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi