Donald Trump mocked Senator Elizabeth Warren by calling her Pocahontas during an event at the White House that was meant to honor Navajo code talkers. He didn’t name Warren but this has been a nickname he used before to mock the Massachusetts Democrat.
Trump possibly joked mainly because he considers that Warren is lying about her Native American heritage. However, this time the comment was met with silence among the attendees. Nevertheless, Trump took advantage of the ceremony to thank the Native American war heroes for their legacy.
“I just want to thank you because you are very, very special people. You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said. “Although, we have a representative in Congress who has been here a long time … longer than you — they call her Pocahontas!”
Trump’s insults won’t shut Warren up
Today, President Donald Trump received the code talkers at the White House. However, while he was thanking the Native Americans, he used “Pocahontas” to mock Senator Warren. As if he noted he made a mistake by being insensitive and racist, he turned to one of the code talkers and with a hand on the man’s shoulder said that he really likes them. This is far from being the first time Trump mocks Warren for the alleged Native American heritage.
However, Warren talked about that event and said that Trump won’t shut her up with this kind of comment and that it is incredible that he cannot be at a ceremony with Native Americans without mentioning a racist slur.
“It is deeply unfortunate that the President of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without having to throw out a racial slur. Donald Trump does this over and over thinking somehow he is going to shut me up with it. It hasn’t worked out in the past, it isn’t going to work out in the future,” Warren told MSNBC shortly after Trump’s remark.
Is Warren lying about her heritage?
Elizabeth Warren said a long time ago that she was partially Native American. Warren listed herself as a minority in an Association of American Law Schools directory. She said that she is very proud of her heritage and of all those stories that her parents have told her about their ancestors, and which have passed from one generation to another.
However, her heritage has been a subject of discussion many times. In 2012, Scott Brown, her Senate campaign opponent, even suggested that she had to go through a DNA test to prove her Native American heritage. As well, some claim that she says that to receive preferential treatment for her Native American heritage.
After the controversial comments made by Trump with the code talkers, White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said that the use of “Pocahontas” was not a racial insult and that Trump didn’t mean to say it like that. Sanders also said that the most offensive thing about the whole controversy was the fact that Warren keeps claiming she is Native American.
“I think Sen. Warren was very offensive when she lied about something specifically to advance her career, and I don’t understand why no one is asking about that question and why that isn’t constantly covered,” Sanders said.
On the other hand, Trump is quite known for all the nicknames and all the insults he uses against the ones who don’t support him. Warren has been especially targeted by the president in his social networks. Last year, during Trump’s presidential campaign, he tweeted about Warren calling her then again “Pocahontas”.
“@elizabethforma Goofy Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas because she faked the fact she is native American, is a lowlife!” said Trump on may 25, 2016.
“Pocahontas is at it again! Goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive U.S. Senators, has a nasty mouth. Hope she is V.P. choice!” tweeted Trump on June 10, 2016.
“Crooked Hillary is wheeling out one of the least productive senators in the U.S. Senate, goofy Elizabeth Warren, who lied on heritage” was posted by Trump on his Twitter account on June 27, 2010.
And not so long ago, on November 3rd, 2017, Trump tweeted again insulting Warren and Hillary Clinton.
Code talkers meeting
Thirteen code talkers were welcomed on Monday by Trump to honor their services. The code talkers are Native American soldiers who were deployed during the world wars so they could send messages between the units. To do this, they used their languages which were uncrackable codes to their opponents.
In the World War II, the Navajo men were recruited by the Marines and served the Pacific theater to defeat the Japanese. Therefore, the White House arranges ceremonies to thank for their important contribution. This time, Trump might have saved the comment if he hadn’t refused to read the speech that was prepared for him.
Source: CNN