Michelle Obama on Laura Bush op-ed: ‘Sometimes truth transcends party’

Former first lady Michelle Obama on Monday weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s practice of separating migrant children from their parents at the southern border, citing fellow former first lady Laura Bush’s op-ed blasting the policy. 

“Sometimes truth transcends party,” Obama said in a tweet responding to Bush, who was sharing her op-ed for the Washington Post.

Sometimes truth transcends party. https://t.co/TeFM7NmNzU

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 18, 2018

Former President Obama quickly retweeted his wife’s post. 

It is rare for Michelle Obama to weigh in on policy issues, such as the Trump administration’s migrant policy.

She criticized the administration’s policy of delaying federal rules on school lunches last year and has been critical of women who voted for Trump. 

Obama’s tweet comes after Bush ripped the policy in her Post op-ed on Sunday, calling it “cruel” and “immoral.” 

“I live in a border state,” Bush wrote. “I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.”

First lady Melania Trump also weighed in on the issue on Sunday, saying she hates to see families separated at the border. 

“Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform. She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart,” Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s communications director, said in a statement to The Hill.

President Trump is facing backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike over the issue. 

He sent a series of tweets on Monday directing lawmakers to change immigration laws to end the policy. 

“Children are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country,” Trump said. “Has anyone been looking at the Crime taking place south of the border. It is historic, with some countries the most dangerous places in the world. Not going to happen in the U.S.” 

“It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Border Security and Crime. Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws!” he said in another tweet.