As the backlash continues to swirl around President Trump’s recent tweets that targeted four progressive congresswomen of color, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) got caught in a gaggle of reporters who asked him to respond to Trump’s comments, which his opponents say are racist.

“Here’s what think: I think the President is playing on the 1968 ‘Love it or Leave it,'” Graham said, referring a late 1960s slogan that targeted Vietnam war protesters. “I’ve said before that if you’re a Somali refugee wearing a MAGA hat, he doesn’t want to send you back. You’d probably have dinner at the White House.”

According to Graham, Trump’s tweets were focused on the “criticism” from the progressive congresswomen and not their identities.

“The President believes that what they’re doing is over the top,” Graham continued. “We’re not running concentration camps. So when you start accusing people of running concentration camps who work for the United States government, you’re gonna be met with some pretty fiery responses.”

Graham then made sure to add the disclaimer that he doesn’t particularly like Trump’s approach.

“I’m not going around telling anybody to leave the country who’s an American citizen,” Graham said. “To a naturalized citizen, this is your home as much as mine.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham: "If you're a Somali refugee wearing a MAGA hat, he doesn't want to send you back. You'll probably have dinner at the White House." pic.twitter.com/8c12b0Vlij — The Hill (@thehill) July 18, 2019

In a post to her official Twitter account this morning, one of the targets of Trump’s ‘go back’ comments, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), reminded Graham of past comments he made regarding Trump where he outright called the soon-to-be President a “bigot.”

“I don’t know who you are and I don’t know why you like this guy,” Graham said, addressing Trump supporters during a 2015 CNN appearance. “I think what you like about him, he appears to be strong and the rest of us are weak. He’s a very successful businessman and he’s gonna make everything great. He’s gonna take all the problems of the world and put ’em in a box and make your life better. That’s what he’s selling.”

“Here’s what you’re buying,” Graham continued. “He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot. He doesn’t represent my party. He doesn’t represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for… He’s the ISIL man of the year.”

Featured image via screen grab