President Donald Trump has yet to back down from his racist attacks toward four lawmakers of color—Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
The congresswomen—known colloquially as "the squad"—have similar stances on a number of Democratic issues and are notably further left than the majority of their colleagues. With his racist tweets, Trump threw down the gauntlet and sicced his campaign and supporters upon their reputations and their very allegiance to this country.
Now, in a characteristic move, the Trump campaign is invoking the "squad" moniker in its latest campaign video, which features footage from Trump's controversial—and taxpayer funded—Salute to America.
Watch until the end.
GOD BLESS THE USA🇺🇸 https://t.co/w6FenobnlR— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1563380333.0
After numerous clips of Trump shaking hands with veterans and workers, a clip of the Fourth of July military flyover fades into the words:
"AMERICA: One Squad Under God."
The new slogan immediately began generating eye rolls from Trump's critics.
@Acosta Stealing The Squad's moniker. Conman through and through.— Lini Kadaba (@Lini Kadaba) 1563388482.0
@Acosta Squad? Interesting choice of a word now that he learned the 4 freshman congresswomen's moniker.— gailborges (@gailborges) 1563390560.0
@Acosta Squad vs. Klan. https://t.co/nnMeDarHEE— Bob Davidson (@Bob Davidson) 1563388520.0
@Acosta Squad? He needs his own material.— Brittany (@Brittany) 1563388455.0
But many were more concerned that Trump's Independence Day celebration, which racked up millions of dollars in taxpayer money, featured so prominently in the video.
Was this a taxpayer-funded campaign video?
@Acosta So tax payers funded this campaign ad.... I want my money back!— Elaine Roberts (@Elaine Roberts) 1563389668.0
@Acosta Is that legal? It was paid for by the public.— vonceyb 🎄 (@vonceyb 🎄) 1563388551.0
@Acosta So basically us tax payers covered the cost for his commercial - while DC is left to clean up the overrag… https://t.co/Fi5FZEbgeP— Connie Beckstrom (@Connie Beckstrom) 1563388529.0
@Acosta Is there no campaign finance violation here?— carolyn (@carolyn) 1563388572.0
This isn't the first time Trump exploited the once-apolitical celebration for a campaign ad. He had one ready to go on the fifth of July.
Trump used our taxpayer dollars to create a backdrop, complete with military flyovers, so he could cut a campaign a… https://t.co/RUTtYkMuAt— Joyce Alene (@Joyce Alene) 1562344195.0
Trump: Of course the military parade isn’t just a multi million-dollar taxpayer-funded campaign ad. Also Trump: https://t.co/dIEl7U1Ue3— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1562434311.0
One "squad" above oversight, apparently.