President Trump’s camp is viewing the Democratic Party’s open internal warfare with increasing glee, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi battles with rebellious freshman Democrats in a feud that widened over the weekend.
“Pelosi is losing her grip over her coalition, and moderate Democrats across the country are beginning to realize that she is fighting a losing battle against the radical left in her caucus,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote in The Hill this weekend. “Freshman Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar hold real influence, even if it has yet to translate to actual power on Capitol Hill.”
The president’s son said the Democrats’ divisions “will only benefit the candidacy of my father in 2020.”
“With the election approaching, Trump has cultivated support from the various groups within the Republican caucus, rallying them around his agenda, as well as a growing number of independents and even some Democrats benefiting from this successful economy,” he said.
Trump campaign national press secretary Kayleigh McEnany commented on Twitter Saturday, “Watch the Democrats self-destruct with pervasive infighting!”
The feud between Mrs. Pelosi and the liberal freshman showed signs of spinning out of control over the weekend. Ms. Pressley, Massachusetts Democrat, said in a speech at the liberal Netroots Nation conference that the party doesn’t need “any more black voices that don’t want to be a black voice.”
“We don’t need any more brown faces that don’t want to be a brown voice,” she said in an apparent swipe at the Congressional Black Caucus, which supports Mrs. Pelosi.
And the House Democratic Caucus openly criticized Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, for his criticism of another Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas, over her votes on the migrant crisis at the border.
“I don’t think people have to be personally racist to enable a racist system. And the same could even be said of the Southern Democrats. I don’t believe Sharice is a racist person, but her votes are showing her to enable a racist system,” Mr. Chakrabarti tweeted.
The House Democratic caucus responded on its official Twitter account, “Who is this guy and why is he explicitly singling out a Native American woman of color?”
“Her name is Congresswoman Davids, not Sharice,” the House Democrats said. “She is a phenomenal new member who flipped a red seat blue. Keep Her Name Out Of Your Mouth.”
Jon Favreau, who was President Barack Obama’s chief speechwriter, said Saturday that Democrats need to resolve their strife if they have any hope of defeating Mr. Trump next year.
“Hey, all you Democrats who work in Washington together: maybe get off Twitter, get into a room next week, and work out your problems like adults because DONALD F— TRUMP IS PRESIDENT,” he tweeted.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat, criticized Mrs. Pelosi this week for “singling out” women of color in her own party.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, New York Democrat, called out Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives known as “The Squad” for their feud with House leadership, saying “primaries go two ways.”
“Primaries go two ways,” he told the Daily News. “If someone picks a fight with somebody else, you fight back. That’s what my parents told me.”
The president said Friday that the group of freshman House Democrats “is being very disrespectful” to Mrs. Pelosi.
“I don’t think that Nancy can let that go on,” Mr. Trump told reporters. “I’m looking at this Omar from Minnesota, and if one half of the things they’re saying about her are true, she shouldn’t even be in office.”
He added, “Cortez should treat Nancy Pelosi with respect. She should not be doing what she’s doing.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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