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Donald Trump ignited a storm when he launched a racist Twitter attack on four US congresswomen of colour.

The US president said the so-called 'Squad' - Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib - should 'go home and fix their own countries'.

Three of the four women were born in America - just like the president - with the fourth fleeing as a refugee from Somalia at the age of 10.

They have been some of the fiercest critics of the president's right wing 'America first' agenda and policies - and he's been quick to target them in response.

(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images) (Image: Getty Images)

The tweets have received widespread condemnation around the world, with the US House of Representatives passing a symbolic vote labelling the tweets 'racist'.

But just days later at a campaign rally in North Carolina a chant of 'send her back' was repeated by supporters of Mr Trump, referencing Somali-born Rep Omar.

Trump still insists he 'doesn't have a racist bone in his body' and is 'the least racist person you've ever encountered'.

But his history suggests otherwise.

Here's nine other times Trump has been accused of racism.

1. He was sued by the US government for racial discrimination

In 1973 the US Department of Justice, under the Nixon administration, sued the Trump Management Corporation for violating the Fair Housing Act.

Officials found evidence that Mr Trump had refused to rent to black tenants and lied to black applicants about whether apartments were available.

It was alleged by the government that if an application was from a black person it had a big 'C' written on it to stand for 'coloured'.

(Image: Startraks/REX/Shutterstock)

In 1975 he signed an agreement not to discriminate to renters of colour without admitting to discriminating before.

2. He called for 'Central Park Five' to be put to death

In 1989 the rape and assault of the Central Park jogger caused widespread outrage in New York.

Donald Trump took out ads in local papers demanding the death penalty be brought back for the accused black and Latino teenagers.

Their wrongful convictions were later quashed thanks to DNA evidence.

But in October 2016 he said he still believes they are guilty.

(Image: Getty Images)

3. When a former employee claimed Trump said 'laziness is a trait in blacks'

In 1991 a book by John O'Donnell, former president of Trump Plaza Hotel in Atlantic City, claimed Mr Trump once said: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it.

"The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day. … I think that the guy is lazy.

"And it’s probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that."

(Image: Startraks/REX/Shutterstock)

Although he initially denied the remarks in a 1997 Playboy interview he said “the stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true.”

4. When he said 'They don't look like Indians to me' in a row about casinos

In 1993 Donald Trump was furious at the awarding of casino licences to Native Americans.

Speaking in front of the Native American affairs committee Mr Trump, who failed with his own casino ventures, said: "If you look, if you look at some of the reservations that you've approved... I will tell you this right now - they don't look like Indians to me."

Rep George Miller replied: "Thank God that's not the test of whether or not people have rights in this country or not - whether or not they pass your "look" test."

(Image: NY Daily News via Getty Images)

5. When the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino paid a $200,000 discrimination fine

The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino had to pay a $200,000 fine because it transferred black and women dealers off tables to accommodate a big-time gambler’s prejudices.

6. He spread false rumours that Obama was not born in the US

Starting in 2011 Mr Trump used his favourite social media website to spread the false rumour that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

The so-called 'Birther' movement has its roots in racism.

He also President Obama release his university transcripts.

(Image: Michael Fiala/EPA/REX/Shuttersto)

Trump claimed , “I heard he was a terrible student. Terrible. How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard?”

Mr Trump has never released his university transcripts or his tax returns.

7. Trump's 'textbook definition of a racist comment' about US judge

In 2016, after his election as president, Mr Trump argued that Judge Gonzalo Curiel - overseeing a Trump University lawsuit - should recuse himself from the case because of his Mexican heritage.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who endorsed Trump, later called such comments “the textbook definition of a racist comment.”

8. When he said white nationalists who attended tragic Charlottesville Rally were 'very fine people'

An anti-white supremacist protester was killed when violence broke out during a protest in Charlottesville in August 2017.

The night before men holding torches had marched through the town chanting 'blood and soil' and 'the Jews will not replace us'.

(Image: Getty Images)

In the days afterward Trump repeatedly said that “many sides” and “both sides” were to blame for the violence and chaos that ensued.

He also said that there were “some very fine people” among the white supremacists.

Infamous white nationalist Richard Spencer praised Trump for “defending the truth.”

(Image: X80002)

9. Calling Haiti and African countries 'sh**holes'

Speaking at a bipartisan meeting in January 2018 Mr Trump is alleged to have said, in reference to Haiti and parts of Africa, "Why are we having all these people from sh**hole countries come here?”.

He then reportedly suggested that the US should take more people from countries like Norway.

He denied making the remark.