White House Sharpton: Trump has ‘particular venom’ for black people

BALTIMORE — Reverend Al Sharpton shot back at President Donald Trump over his criticism of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), saying the president “has a particular venom for blacks and people of color.”

The remarks, delivered Monday at a previously scheduled gathering to discuss homeownership in black communities, came after Trump directed a barrage of Twitter abuse this weekend at Baltimore and Cummings, the chairman of the House oversight committee, which has launched numerous investigations into the Trump administration.


“Cumming [sic] District is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess,” the president tweeted. “If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place.”

"He doesn’t refer to any of his other opponents or critics as infested," Sharpton said at a Baltimore church. "He does not attack their districts. He attacks Nancy Pelosi, he attacks Chuck Schumer, he attacks other whites. But he never says that their districts or their states are places that no human being wants to live."

Sharpton was joined at the event by Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland who later served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee. Steele, who is black, called Trump’s attacks “reprehensible.”

“Mr. President, your reprehensible comments are like water off a duck’s back when it comes to this community," Steele said. "It just washes over them. It doesn’t stick to them"

Sharpton said that "Cummings’ district is the most well educated and middle class aspiring district of blacks in this country" and that Trump "attacks everybody." Earlier Monday morning, Trump went after Sharpton on Twitter as well, saying that he “hates whites and cops.”

"I know Donald Trump, he's not mature enough to take criticism," Sharpton said. "He can't help it. He's like a child. Somebody say something, he reacts. He's thin-skinned and not really mature in that way."

Sharpton said he would keep calling out Trump.

"As for his attacks on me personally, Donald Trump and I have known each other for 25 years," Sharpton said. "I've marched on him with [the] Central Park Five, dealt with him on the birther issue."