Obama says he’s ‘proud of’ former staffers who slammed Trump for ‘poisoning of our democracy’ in fiery op-ed

Former President Obama tweeted Saturday that he is “proud of” how former staffers of his administration are “continuing to fight for an America that’s better” after they penned an op-ed blasting President Trump for his “poisoning of our democracy.”

“I’ve always been proud of what this team accomplished during my administration,” he tweeted with a link to the op-ed, which was published by The Washington Post on Friday.

“But more than what we did, I’m proud of how they’re continuing to fight for an America that’s better,” he continued.

I’ve always been proud of what this team accomplished during my administration. But more than what we did, I’m proud of how they’re continuing to fight for an America that’s better. https://t.co/0cfDltjueP

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 27, 2019

The op-ed, titled “We are African Americans, we are patriots, and we refuse to sit idly by,” was penned by 149 African American alumni of the Obama administration in support of congresswomen of color who were recently attacked by the president and told to “go back” to their home countries.

“We stand with congresswomen Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, as well as all those currently under attack by President Trump, along with his supporters and his enablers, who feel deputized to decide who belongs here — and who does not,”  they wrote in the op-ed.

“We refuse to sit idly by as racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia are wielded by the president and any elected official complicit in the poisoning of our democracy,” they added.

In recent weeks, Trump has come under fire for comments targeting the four minority lawmakers, which were condemned as “racist” in a resolution passed by the House this month.

The op-ed’s release came as the president begins to face a new wave of backlash after he called House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who is African American, a “brutal bully” and said his Baltimore district is a “rat and rodent infested mess.”

“Rep, Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous,” Trump tweeted.

“His district is considered the Worst in the USA as proven last week during a Congressional tour, the Border is clean, efficient & well run, just very crowded,” Trump continued. “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.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denounced Trump’s criticisms targeting Cummings as “racist” in a tweet later on Saturday and praised the congressman as “a beloved leader.”