Hurd on KTSA: Trump tweet about ‘The Squad’ equivalent to those telling me to go back to Africa

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Helotes Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) is defending his vote to condemn President Donald Trump’s tweets telling four congressional Democrats — among other things — to go back to where they came from.

“When you say to someone to go back to their country, that’s the equivalent to the hundreds of times I’ve had people tell me to go back to Africa,” the congressman told KTSA’s Jack Riccardi Wednesday afternoon.  “I’m not from Africa.  I’ve never been to Africa.”

Hurd was one of only four Republicans to join Democrats in approving the condemnation.

“That is an old racist troupe that has been used,” Hurd continued.

He said the president and Republicans should be more focused on challenging the so-called “Squad” — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — on their ideals.

“Those four do actually believe in socialism and think that’s the solution to our problem,” the Helotes Republican said in between casting votes at the U.S. Capitol.  “That’s what we should be talking about.  They want to take away our healthcare, they want to take away private insurance.  That’s what we should be talking about.”

Hurd argued that the party and the president need to be doing a better job of letting their ideas and values be what brings people to the Republican Party, not the rhetoric that continues to become hot topics.