Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley suggested this week that she won’t refer to Donald Trump as “president,” but will instead call him the “occupant of this White House.”
Amazingly, the progressive freshman lawmaker claims she’s not being disrespectful to the Oval Office.
Trump has been widely criticized by Democrats and the establishment media for a series of tweets Sunday that appeared to take aim at Pressley and three of her fellow progressive congresswomen: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
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“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run,” the president tweeted Sunday.
“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. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!” he added.
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Trump has since doubled down on those comments, while the four congresswomen have relentlessly attacked him and referred to his remarks as “racist.”
In an interview with “CBS This Morning” set to air Wednesday, Pressley accused Trump of using “hateful words.”
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“We can talk about and spin out on hate, about hateful words which are a predictable prompt by the occupant of this White House,” she said.
“And I call him that not because I don’t have respect for the Oval Office,” Pressley added.
Is Pressley being disrespectful by refusing to call Trump "president?"
That prompted an interjection from anchor Gayle King, who noted, “It sounds like you don’t have respect for the Oval Office when you call the president of the United States the occupant.”
Pressley wouldn’t back down. Since Trump does not “embody” the ideals of what she thinks the president should be, she won’t refer to him by his legitimate title.
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
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“No, because he is only occupying the space,” Pressley said. “He does not embody the principles, the responsibility, the grace, the integrity of a true president.”
“I’m not dishonoring the office. He does every day,” she added.
Pressley’s remarks echoed her comments during a news conference on Monday, when she also referred to Trump as the “occupant” of the White House.
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.@RepPressley on TRUMP: “I will always refer to him as the occupant [of the White House], as he is only occupying space — not embodying the grace, empathy, compassion, the integrity that the office requires, that the American people deserve.” pic.twitter.com/fcXfALywpJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2019
“I will always refer to him as ‘the occupant’ as he is only occupying space,” she said. “He does not embody the grace, the empathy, the compassion, the integrity that that office requires and that the American people deserve.”
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