President Trump referred to Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas” at a ceremony honoring Navajo code talkers on Monday. Trump has referred to the senator from Massachusetts often by that name, a reference to Warren’s dodgy history claiming native American heritage.
Trump said:
“I just want to thank you because you are very, very special people. You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said. “Although, we have a representative in Congress who has been here a long time, longer than you, they call her Pocahontas!”
Warren responded to the President, saying “It is deeply unfortunate that the president of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without having to throw out a racial slur.”
At Monday’s White House press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked by a reporter why Trump felt the need to say something that is “offensive to many people ” at the ceremony. Sanders bluntly responded, “I think what most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career.”
WATCH:
A reporter noted that Sen. Warren had called it a “racial slur.” Sanders said, “That’s ridiculous,” before noting that it is never appropriate for anyone to use a racial slur, and she does not believe Trump’s use of “Pocahontas” was intended for that purpose. Sanders declared, once again forcefully, that Warren was the offensive one, saying, “Senator Warren was very offensive when she lied about some things specifically to advance her career and I don’t understand why no one’s asking about that question and why that isn’t constantly covered.”
Warren claimed she had Native American heritage on her Harvard application. The claim is completely unfounded.