Donald Trump Accused Of Being A Racist (Again) After Comparing Impeachment Investigation To Lynching

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 09: U.S. President Donald Trump responds to a question from a reporter at an event for the signing of two executive orders aimed at greater governmental transparency at the White House October 9, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump answered questions on the pending impeachment inquiry and the Turkish offensive into northern Syria following the signing of the executive orders. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Donald Trump is being accused of blatant racism again today, as he compared the impeachment inquiry against him to lynching. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale says, “This is the first time Trump has used the word ‘lynching’ as president, on Twitter or out loud.” This statement from Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) explains why Trump’s characterization is so wrong and so painful.

You think this impeachment is a LYNCHING? What the hell is wrong with you?

Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you. Delete this tweet. https://t.co/oTMhWo4awR
— Bobby L. Rush (@RepBobbyRush) October 22, 2019

Kristen Clarke, Pres & Exec Dir., national Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law remarked:

A lynching?! 4,743 people were lynched in the US between 1882 – 1968, incl. 3,446 African Americans. Lynchings were crimes against humanity and an ugly part of our nation’s history of racial violence and brutality Sickened to see Trump’s gross misappropriation of this term today

A “lynching?” Seriously? How DARE you? Your insensitivity is stunning. Your blatant racism is disgusting. YOU are despicable…
— Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) October 22, 2019

NPR’s Tamara Keith wrote:

This is new rhetoric from President Trump. From “witch hunt” to “coup” to “lynching,” Trump keeps escalating his language. (Clarence Thomas called his confirmation process a “high tech lynching” but there is a big difference between Trump and Thomas)

It is not a lynching. Let's not start dropping words that are important with real historic meaning where we water them down to nothing. https://t.co/6WDtPoV61Y
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 22, 2019

The callousness of President Trump to compare an investigation into his corruption to a “lynching” is beyond grotesque.

Congressional Republicans, you own this, you have to defend this today. https://t.co/edGIt4VuID
— Latino Victory (@latinovictoryus) October 22, 2019

Just a few months ago, Republicans did find themselves having to defend the president after he made racist comments about Rep. Elijah Cummings Baltimore district. Just a week before that the president was also accused of bigoted comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and the so-called “Squad.” After that incident, attorney George Conway declared that “Trump is a racist president.” We expect to see more of those same sentiments echoed today.