Former Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE is defending 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 (Mass.), one of four Democratic congresswomen attacked by President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE in recent days.

Kerry wrote in a letter to the Boston Globe that Trump's tweets telling Pressley and the other freshman minority lawmakers to “go back” where they came from were "of course" racist.

Trump has repeatedly defended the tweets attacking Pressley and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOn 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 McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid MORE (D-N.Y.), 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.) and Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.), insisting the four “hate America.”

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Kerry, who served under former President Obama, called Trump's comments “even more revolting.” He said that Pressley, who served as his political director in 2009 when he was a senator, “lov[es] her country so much that she wanted to help America live up to its ideals.”

“A strong woman raised in public housing by a fearless mother who sacrificed to keep her safe? An activist who found in Boston a life of public service and a determination to speak up for people who were underrepresented? That story identifies as more 'American' than any mantle this president could ever claim,” Kerry wrote.

“No wonder Donald Trump is afraid of her,” he added.

Kerry has defended Pressley on Twitter as well, tweeting on Monday that Pressley is "made of tougher stuff than any Trump tweet or any bully's bombast."

Ayanna's life story is more American than this president and his warped worldview could ever imagine. The only person who should "go back" anywhere is @realDonaldTrump: to Trump Tower where he cooked up birtherism and debased politics. (2/2) — John Kerry (@JohnKerry) July 15, 2019

Trump has doubled down on his attacks against the four congresswomen since he first sparked a political firestorm with his tweets going after them on Sunday.

During a rally Wednesday evening, Trump blasted each of the four lawmakers individually and was met with chants of "send her back" when mentioning Omar.

All four lawmakers are U.S. citizens and all were born in the U.S. except for Omar, who came to the United States after being a refugee in Somalia.