European Council President Donald Tusk seemingly knocked President Trump on Thursday, saying during a visit to Montreal that he felt welcomed because no one shouted “send him back.”
“I feel at home in Montreal for many reasons,” said Tusk, standing alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a news conference. “Also, because I didn’t hear anyone shouting ‘send him back.’ ”
Tusk’s dig comes the day after attendees at Trump’s North Carolina rally on Wednesday night erupted in “send her back” chants after he attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).{mosads}
Omar is one of four minority, progressive lawmakers to be targeted by the president in recent days, with Trump on Sunday calling for Omar and fellow freshman Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) to “go back” to their home countries, despite the fact all four are U.S. citizens.
“The comments were hurtful, wrong and completely unacceptable,” Trudeau said at the news conference, according to Bloomberg. “And I want everyone in Canada to know that those comments are completely unacceptable and should not be allowed or encouraged in Canada.”
Trump’s comments have earned widespread backlash among congressional Democrats, with the House on Tuesday approving a resolution to condemn his tweets.
After the Wednesday night rally, GOP lawmakers including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mark Walker (N.C.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) have denounced the chants.
Trump said Thursday that he disagreed with the chants, despite letting them go for more than 10 seconds before continuing his remarks.