Watch: BBC Breakfast presenter calls out Donald Trump over 'racist' comments
BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty is known for keeping a calm exterior when presenting the headlines or discussing the day's news - but she couldn't hide her disdain for Donald Trump during a discussion of his "racist" comments about four US Congresswoman.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe US President has been widely condemned for suggesting that the four Democrats, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, could "go back" to the countries "they originally came from" - despite the fact that three of the women were born in the USA.
Following her co-host Dan Walker's interview with a representative of Trump's 2020 campaign this morning, Munchetty, who was born in London, brought up her own experiences of being told to "go home" in the UK.
'Embedded in racism'
"Every time I’ve been told as a woman of colour to 'go home', to 'go back to where I’ve come from,' that was embedded in racism," she said.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"Now I’m not accusing anyone of anything here but you know what certain phrases mean."
Asked if she’s been told that by co-host Walker, she replied: "Yes. Not regularly but I’ve been told it."
Explaining how she feels when she's on the receiving end of such comments, Munchetty said: "Furious. Absolutely furious and I can imagine lots of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious a man in that position think it’s okay to skirt the lines by using language like that."
In the original tweet on Sunday, Trump wrote:
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSo 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......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
....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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
He later defended his comments, claiming: "I don’t have a Racist bone in my body."
This prompted a response from Ocasio-Cortez:
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdYou’re right, Mr. President - you don’t have a racist bone in your body.You have a racist mind in your head, and a racist heart in your chest.That’s why you violate the rights of children and tell the Congresswoman who represents your home borough, to “go back to my country.” https://t.co/adlCUO7r0v
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 16, 2019