Washington (CNN) Well before President Donald Trump launched a racist attack against four first-term, progressive Democratic congresswomen, "The Squad," as they've come to be known on Capitol Hill, had carved an outsized profile for themselves due to their willingness to take on the Washington establishment.

The four congresswomen -- Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts -- have not only been the focus of intense scrutiny and criticism from Trump and Republicans, but they've even sparred with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in their drive to move the Democratic Party leftward.

Since taking office in January, the lawmakers, all women of color, have electrified the progressive base thanks to their social media savvy but have also attracted controversy, most notably over their criticism of the US relationship with Israel.

Those views, along with their heritage, were the focus of Trump's attacks this week, when he falsely implied they weren't American and suggested they "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

During a press conference Monday evening, however, the four Democratic lawmakers made it clear they aren't going anywhere.

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