At a Congressional Progressive Caucus press briefing, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) slammed President Trump.
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00:01Thank you, J.R. Kassar. We knew that the lies, the chaos, and the destruction were on its
00:10way when Trump got sworn in a hundred days ago. And just in three months, we have seen
00:18the gutting of institutions, the shattering of norms, and the fundamental rights of so
00:25many people being trampled on. We have watched Trump tear through our government like a wrecking
00:33ball by destabilizing federal agencies, undermining the rule of law, and lashing out against anyone
00:42who dares to dissent. Trump said he would fight for workers. Instead, he handed the federal
00:49government over to a billionaire, Elon Musk, who fired tens of thousands of public servants
00:56whose only crime is doing their job. And what do we have to show for it? Not a trillion dollars
01:06in saving, not even close. Trump swore he would bring down prices. Instead, his reckless tariffs
01:14have rattled markets, interest rates are soaring, and the threat of recession looms.
01:21A recent poll showed that only 11 percent of Americans feel better off since the election,
01:29with majority believing the economy is deteriorating. Trump swore he will pay off the national debt.
01:37Instead, he wants to hand out tax breaks to billions while planning to cut Medicaid and SNAP.
01:47And here at home, we're seeing ICE has deported nearly 140,000 people, often with no due process
01:58or real hearings. In our streets, the crackdown has reached a terrifying new level.
02:06Students have been disappeared. Their only crime is daring to demand an end to a genocide.
02:15This is the behavior of a dictator. They are trying to turn our government into a weapon
02:22to punish enemies and reward friends. But I am here to tell you that this is not normal.
02:29Just last week, I spoke with students, small business owners, and seniors in my district.
02:36I listened to seniors and veterans who said, with tears in their eyes, that after a life of service,
02:44they are now afraid their Social Security checks will vanish into the pockets of billionaires.
02:51This fear is real. But so is our resolve. We will not allow billionaires to run our democracy like it is one of their business ventures to strip for parts.
03:06We fight because we believe in an America that is big enough, brave enough, and free enough for all of us.
03:15Donald Trump and his enablers want to create a country where power is hoarded by the few and the rest of us are criminalized by daring to exist.
03:27If they thought the first hundred days of chaos would break us, they were wrong.
03:32Because across this country, millions of us are standing up for our human rights and our democracy.
03:39Judges are fighting back to block these unconstitutional executive orders.
03:44Here in Congress, we are fighting back every single day.
03:49We are fighting to protect immigrant families from mass detention and deportation.
03:55We are fighting to prevent horrific cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security.
04:02It won't be easy, but we must continue to organize, to speak out, and to build a future that reflects our highest ideals.
04:13Thank you, and I am proud to introduce Representative Pramila Chayipal, Chair Merida of the Progressive Movement.