Donald Trump does not merit the title of president according to Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). Instead the congresswoman refers to the President of the United States as “the occupant of our White House.”
Rep. Pressley is one of the four progressive freshman legislators in “the squad” recently targeted by President Trump that also includes Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
Rep. Pressley said during a recent press conference that the White House “occupant” does not exhibit the qualities of a president.
“We are grateful for your solidarity, your encouragement and your support in the face of the most recent xenophobic, bigoted remarks from the occupant of our White House,” she said. “I will always refer to him as the occupant as he is only occupying space. He does not embody the grace, the empathy, the compassion, the integrity that that office requires and that the American people deserve.”
“I will always call [Trump] an occupant as he is only occupying space,” @AyannaPressley says. “He does not embody the grace, the empathy, the compassion, the integrity that that office requires and the American people deserve” pic.twitter.com/wb7FNl3I9o
— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) July 15, 2019
Rep. Pressley repeated her contention during the squad’s interview with Gayle King and asserted that she is not disrespecting the office of the president.
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King pushed back when Pressley said she is not disrespecting the presidency: “But it sounds like you don’t have respect for the Oval Office when you call the President of the United States ‘the occupant.’”
“No, because he is only occupying the space,” Rep. Pressley explained. “He does not embody the principles, the responsibility, the grace, the integrity of a true president. And so, for that reason, I’m not dishonoring the office, he does every day,” she said.
WATCH: Rep. @AyannaPressley says President Trump is the "occupant" of this White House. "He is only occupying the space. He does not embody the principles, the responsibility, the grace, the integrity of a true president... I'm not dishonoring the office. He does everyday." pic.twitter.com/aSetGCHN0p
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) July 17, 2019
During a recent speech Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) also referred to President Trump as “the occupant of the White House.”
None of us are less American or less loyal because of the color of our skin. When @POTUS tells us to "go back" to where we came, that's racist! But guess what? We aren't going anywhere. America is our home & we'll still be here long after the occupant of this White House is gone. pic.twitter.com/PezYwoquL8
— Rep. Ted Lieu (@RepTedLieu) July 16, 2019
The president expressed his satisfaction on Twitter yesterday because only four House Republicans voted in favor of a resolution that condemned his recent remarks. The resolution condemning the president’s remarks as “racist” did ultimately pass.
....visible members of the House Democrats, who are now wedded to this bitterness and hate. The Republican vote was 187-4. Wow! Also, this was the first time since 1984 that the Speaker of the House was ruled Out of Order and broke the Rules of the House. Quite a day!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019
The president received significant blowback from a tweet thread on Sunday suggesting progressive congresswomen return to fix their countries of origin before sounding off about how to run America. It seems that this comment was directed at “the squad” but of the four legislators only Rep. Ilhan Omar was born outside of the U.S. The president has pushed back against the claims that his tweets were racist and he has attacked the four Congresswomen for a number of days.
.....Congresswomen, who I truly believe, based on their actions, hate our Country. Get a list of the HORRIBLE things they have said. Omar is polling at 8%, Cortez at 21%. Nancy Pelosi tried to push them away, but now they are forever wedded to the Democrat Party. See you in 2020!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2019
.....shouting of the F...word, among many other terrible things, and the petrified Dems run for the hills. Why isn’t the House voting to rebuke the filthy and hate laced things they have said? Because they are the Radical Left, and the Democrats are afraid to take them on. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2019
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