Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersOutrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling Dimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (I-Vt.) on Monday defended freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.) after President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE accused her of anti-Semitism.

Sanders became the first 2020 contender to weigh in on the GOP attacks against Tlaib as top House Democrats accused Trump and Republicans of distorting her words.

ADVERTISEMENT "Mr. President: Stop dividing the American people up by their religion, their race or their country of origin--and stop your ugly attacks against Muslim women in Congress. You are taking Rep. @RashidaTlaib's comments out of context and should apologize," Sanders tweeted.

Mr. President: Stop dividing the American people up by their religion, their race or their country of origin--and stop your ugly attacks against Muslim women in Congress. You are taking Rep. @RashidaTlaib's comments out of context and should apologize. https://t.co/QlYNn46zXQ — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 13, 2019

The controversy began after Tlaib, one of two Muslim women in Congress, told Yahoo News’s “Skullduggery” podcast that she gets a "calming feeling" knowing that her Palestinian ancestors lost their land so that Jews could have a safe place to live after the Holocaust.

"There’s always kind of a calming feeling, I tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors — Palestinians — who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports," Tlaib said in the interview.

"And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time," Tlaib added. "And I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, and it was forced on them."

An Israeli newspaper picked up the comments, which were then seized on by Republicans to criticize Tlaib.

Tlaib accused Republicans of engaging in Islamophobia to stoke misconceptions about what she actually said about Israel and the Holocaust.

"It's more than just silencing a member of Congress. They are using my faith & ethnic background to promote their hate agenda that leads to more violence. The GOP has no policy agenda, and continues to enable a lawless President who doesn't care about protecting our democracy," Tlaib tweeted.

It's more than just silencing a member of Congress. They are using my faith & ethnic background to promote their hate agenda that leads to more violence. The GOP has no policy agenda, and continues to enable a lawless President who doesn't care about protecting our democracy. https://t.co/AHruTwMxjd — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 13, 2019

Tlaib also tweeted her thanks to Sanders, writing, "Individual-1 is a lawless President that will do anything to distract the American people from the fact he is hurting our country, our democracy and our future. We will fight against hate together, and be stronger for it."

Thanks Amo @BernieSanders. Individual-1 is a lawless President that will do anything to distract the American people from the fact he is hurting our country, our democracy and our future. We will fight against hate together, and be stronger for it. https://t.co/DLkQe0cFDH — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 13, 2019

"Republicans’ desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations," Pelosi wrote in a tweet.

Republicans’ desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations. — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 13, 2019

"If you read Rep. @RashidaTlaib’s comments, it is clear that President Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context," Hoyer tweeted. "They must stop, and they owe her an apology."

If you read Rep. @RashidaTlaib’s comments, it is clear that President Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context. They must stop, and they owe her an apology. — Steny Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) May 13, 2019

Earlier Monday , Trump called Tlaib's comments "horrible and highly insensitive."

"Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust,” Trump tweeted. “She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?”

Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019

"I am deeply sorry for our nation that the House Democratic leadership continues to enable the anti-Semitism in their ranks," Cheney tweeted in response to Hoyer.

Omar, who has contended with her own accusations of anti-Semitism, echoed Tlaib in accusing Republicans of stoking anti-Muslim sentiment.

"This is another transparent attempt to sow division b/t minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman," Omar tweeted Monday in response to Trump. "No one should fall for it this time."