Rep. Ayanna Pressley Ayanna PressleyFauci, Black Lives Matter founders included on Time's 100 Most Influential People list Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Pressley applauded on House floor after moving speech on living with alopecia MORE (D-Mass.) said President Trump's Sunday morning tweet that suggested progressive congresswomen should "go back" where they came from illustrates racism.

"THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like," the freshman representative tweeted. "And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday."

THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like. And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday. pic.twitter.com/vYzoxCgN0X — Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) July 14, 2019

Trump's tweet claimed unidentified House Democrats "who came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe" should "go back."

His tweet followed a week of escalating tension between Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) and a group of freshman Democrats, including Pressley.

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Pelosi quickly came to the defense of House Democrats as one of the first Democrats to rebuke the tweet.

Democrats unified to denounce Trump's tweet following a tumultuous week of party infighting.