As one of the world’s most polarizing figures, U.S. President Donald Trump has attracted global attention again for his controversial speech on minorities.

On July 14, Trump insulted four female first-term Democrats of color in a series of tweets, telling them to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

Topics related to race have always been a political red line in the U.S., and this time, Trump has managed to insult minorities and women in one fell swoop. Thus, his Twitter has once again gotten him in trouble.

Only four Republicans voted to condemn the president for what many people believe were racist comments. Craig Shirley, a bestselling author, historian and long-time conservative strategist, explained that the dynamic here is party loyalty. For instance, even in the darkest days of Watergate, Richard Nixon still had a base of support among Republicans in 1974.

Shirley thinks the U.S. is very polarized right now. There used to be an overlap between the two parties, such as liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats. “Now we see the separation of the two parties, both of them are monolithic and they represent two competing views of the world. That is why there is very little compromise today,” said Shirley.

Eleanor Clift, a political reporter with The Daily Beast, pointed out no president in her memory has made racist remarks like Trump in a country that prides itself on its inclusion and diversity. She thinks President Trump is using the same strategy that got him elected in 2016. Playing the race card is not uncommon in the U.S., but playing with a bullhorn designed to inflame the country is a very different matter.

While many Democrats support impeachment, Republicans are standing by the president, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is resisting impeachment because she doesn’t want to be characterized as partisan.

“What the president said is loathsome,” said Clift. She pointed out that other democratic countries like the UK and Canada are also dealing with immigrants and diversity issues. However, they recognize that the wave of the future is more diversity. President Trump is fighting a losing battle and hurting his party and the country.

Wardah Khalid, a policy analyst focusing on Muslim-American issues, believes this event shows that morality has now split along party lines, which is deeply distressing to people of color in the U.S.. Khalid said she understands party loyalty, but when the president says it is "OK" to make racist comments, he emboldens the American people to do the same.

Khalid stressed that the "Blue Wave" in 2018 will continue. “People like the four Congresswomen have energized millions of people. I think that is something that House leadership and Senate leadership and presidential candidates should consider,” she said.

In recent days, social media has been filled with people talking about their own experiences where they have been told, "If you don’t like it, you can leave the country." Khalid also shared her personal experience of being called a communist on social media this week. 

Atiba Madyun, the president and founder of Party Politics U.S., said President Trump is trying to portray the Democrats as anarchists. “To me, the president represents a lot of things. He represents the plantation owner. He represents all the things that African Americans and immigrants and others in this country have talked about and have warned about,” Madyun said.

Madyun believes Trump's actions are "destabilizing the country." He is trying to create enemies and get the Democrats distracted by his comments. However, the four congresswomen know how to handle a bully and are not afraid to stand up to Trump. The Democrats have to figure out how to get behind these young congresswomen, who represent the direction of the country.

In terms of the 2020 presidential election, Madyun believes people are waiting for someone to step to the forefront and say we’re going to do things differently. “They are looking for the Democrat who has a patriotic message that resonates with not only the base but the independents as well as the Republicans who realize this country is going in the wrong direction.”

The Heat with Anand Naidoo is a 30-minute political talk show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 7:00 a.m. BJT and 6:00 p.m. Eastern in the United States.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)