Washington (CNN) Sen. Cory Booker argued Monday that bigotry is a motivating factor for President Donald Trump in some of his most pointed political attacks, particularly his incendiary tweet last weekend about Rep. Ilhan Omar.

"Nothing she said is deserving of what's happening to her and what the President is doing to her. This is a reprehensible attack on her. It's trying to incite anti-Islamic feelings, trying divide Americans," Booker told CNN's Poppy Harlow on "New Day." "And we all should all rally to a fellow American congresswoman's defense right now against a President that seems to have this disgusting, in my opinion, desire to continue to attack, especially African-Americans, whether they are football players or the congressperson."

Reached for comment Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders referred to statements about Trump's tweet that she made a day before on Fox News.

"The President's not trying to incite violence against anybody. He's actually speaking out against it," Sanders said on "Fox News Sunday."

She added that if Omar, who was widely criticized earlier this year for controversial remarks about Israel, "continues to make anti-Semitic comments," Trump "will continue to call her out — call her out by name. And he's not going to be ashamed, nor should he be."

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