Twitter War Between Trump and Congressman Cummings Sparks Racism Accusations

WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump and his aides are fending off new accusations of racism after a series of tweets aimed at African American Congressman Elijah Cummings and the city of Baltimore. 

"There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know, that Elijah Cummings has done a terrible job for the people of his district," the president tweeted.

The president sent more than a dozen tweets directed toward Cummings this weekend.

"Rep. Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of border patrol," Trump tweeted.

"Cumming district is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess. If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place…no human being would want to live there," he wrote in another tweet.

Analysts believe the president's ire was sparked by a combination of two things; Democrats' ongoing investigations and hearings and a Fox News appearance by African- American conservative strategist Kimberly Klacik pointing out the trash and terrible conditions plaguing parts of Baltimore.

Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney says the president is just defending his administration after Cummings' confrontational hearing with Acting Director of Homeland Secretary Kevin McAleenan about migrant facilities. 

"Mr. Cummings saying that children were sitting in their own feces, that's not right, it's not accurate," said Mulvaney. "When the president hears lie like that he is going to fight back...If Adam Schiff had said the same thing about the border, the president would be attacking Adam Schiff in the same way."

But critics point out the city of Baltimore is 64% black and the president has a history of using the word 'infested' when it comes to minorities. 

"This president has shown us time and time again from the way that he started his campaign, to comments about that Mexican American judge during the campaign, to his failure to immediately condemn white supremacists in Charlottesville in 2018…there is a pattern here," said Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro. 

"He continues to say things about American cities across this country. Look, our president has a hate agenda," stated Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

Tlaib, a member of the so-called 'squad', a group of four minority congresswomen has also been the subject of Trump's rhetoric lately.

The Baltimore Sun is also fiercely defending the congressman.

"Fox News rang the bell, the president salivated and his thumbs moved across his cell phone into action…The White House has far more power to effect change in this city, for good or ill, than any single member of Congress including Mr. Cummings. If there are problems here, rodents included, they are as much his responsibility as anyone's, perhaps more because he holds the most powerful office in the land," wrote the newspaper's editorial board.

Cummings promises he won't back down when it comes to investigations.

"It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents," said Cummings.

As chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Cummings oversees several investigations into the administration.