U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at Democratic congresswomen Sunday, telling them to "go back" where they came from in remarks that sparked yet another firestorm over his views on race and immigration.
Trump – whose comments were branded "racist" and "xenophobic" by Democratic presidential candidates and senior legislators – last year reportedly referred to countries in Africa as "shithole" nations and has also spoken of an "invasion" of migrants.
He was also a leading proponent of the "birther" conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was not born on U.S. soil and therefore could not legally be president.
On Sunday, Trump referred on Twitter to "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen" in remarks that appeared to be aimed at a group of outspoken and relatively young liberal women of color, all first-time members of the House of Representatives.
Screenshot from Trump's twitter handle
These include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
Trump did not identify by name the targets of his comments, but tweeted that they "originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world."
He accused the women of "viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run."
"Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done," Trump wrote.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday called Trump's tweets "completely unacceptable."
"Her view is that the language which was used to refer to the women was completely unacceptable," May's spokesman told reporters.
(With input from Reuters, AFP)