Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Friday pushed back against President Trump’s tweet in which he appeared to mock an attempted robbery at the home of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway fired back at Haley later Friday while emphasizing that Trump and Vice President Pence would both be on the ticket in 2020.
Haley departed the administration last year and is widely considered a potential future GOP candidate for higher office.
{mosads}Trump on Friday morning reacted to reports that a Baltimore home owned by Cummings had been robbed, reports which surfaced following days of attacks from the president on the congressman and the city.
“Really bad news! The Baltimore house of Elijah Cummings was robbed. Too bad!” Trump tweeted.
Cummings in a statement on Friday confirmed the incident and said he scared the intruder away by yelling before they were able to enter the residence.
Trump has assailed Cummings over the last week, accusing the House Oversight and Reform Committee chairman of failing to address problems in Baltimore, suggesting he investigate what happened to federal funding for the city and calling him a racist without elaborating.
He has also levied a barrage of criticism at the city itself, calling it a “very dangerous & filthy place” where “no human being would want to live.” Trump chastised the city during a Thursday night rally in which he blamed Democratic leadership for its crime rate.
Trump’s attacks on Cummings, the son of South Carolina sharecroppers, and the majority-black district he represents have renewed allegations of racism against the president that resurfaced after he told four minority congresswomen to “go back” to where they came from. Trump has scoffed at those charges while continuing to denigrate more liberal and diverse urban areas.
–Updated at 2:10 p.m.