GOP lawmaker calls Warren ‘Sacagawea’ during Fox News appearance

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) piggybacked Friday on President Trump’s name-calling of Sen. Elizabeth Warren over her claims of Native American heritage, calling the Massachusetts Democrat “Sacagawea” during an appearance on Fox News.

Trump has repeatedly called Warren, who announced this week she is exploring a 2020 run against him, “Pocahontas” over the claims.

“I know the president likes to call her ‘Pocahontas,’ but now that she’s making her way from the eastern seaboard into the center of the country, maybe Sacagawea would be more appropriate,” Gaetz said. “Instead of bringing Lewis and Clark, she is bringing the most liberal policies of the Democratic Party.”

{mosads}The remark drew an “oh my goodness” from a Fox News host while the camera cut to a picture of Warren on screen.

Host Melissa Francis pushed back on Gaetz’s comments, noting that “when you say things like that, half the world screams at you that you have made a racial slur.”

Gaetz, however, defended his use of the name.

“I am simply saying that this is someone who misrepresented her heritage,” he said. “She wanted to be forward-leaning on this element of her own biography that wasn’t accurate. It’s not about her heritage, its about trustworthiness.”

Gaetz has been an outspoken supporter of Trump.

On Monday, Warren announced that she is forming an an exploratory committee to run for president, becoming the most prominent Democrat so far to enter the 2020 ring.

In October, she announced the results of a DNA test that she said showed “strong evidence” of Native American ancestry. The test results did little to stem the attacks from Trump and also opened Warren up to criticism from Native American groups.