Local leaders defend Baltimore following insulting Trump tweets

Public leaders across the US came to Baltimore’s defense after President Donald Trump insulted the city and one of its U.S. Representatives in a series of tweets.

On July 18, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) criticized U.S. Department of Homeland Security director Kevin McAleenan about conditions in facilities that are holding children suspected of illegally crossing the border, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Nine days later, Trump lashed out at Cummings in a series of tweets, commenting on the state of Cummings’ district in Baltimore.

Rep, Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous. His district is considered the Worst in the USA……

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 27, 2019

“Cumming District is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess. If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place,” Trump said in a follow-up tweet.

Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young (D) tweeted an official statement condemning Trump’s tweets and his attacks on both Cummings and the city, Young called Trump’s language “hurtful and dangerous to the people he’s sworn to represent.” Young also called Trump “a disappointment to the people of Baltimore, our country and to the world.”

“I mean, if you want to help us, help us. Don’t talk about it, send the resources we need to rebuild America. He’s talking about he wants to ‘make American great again.’ Put the money in the cities that need it the most and that way you can make America great again,” Young told CNN.

Other local leaders across Maryland and the country have come to Baltimore’s defense. Baltimore County, Md., Executive Johnny Olszewski called Trump’s tweets an “attack on basic decency. His words and behavior should have no place in our politics or society” in a tweet.

“President Trump’s divisive and inaccurate rhetoric distracts us from the actual pressing issues facing our Nation,” Howard County, Md. Executive Calvin Ball tweeted.

City leaders in St. Petersburg, Fla., also responded to Trump’s tweets, noting the need to champion cities as a whole, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

“We are seeing a pattern from the president where disagreement results in specified attacks against people and the places they represent,” St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin told 10News WTSP. “And the mayor and our entire team feel very strongly that we need to champion cities.”

“[Baltimore] is certainly a better place to be than the America the president wants us to live in,” St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman tweeted. “Urban cities aren’t perfect, but they are welcoming, diverse, vibrant & serve as engines of innovation. They make us great.”