Trump blasted for attack on Baltimore, lawmaker

House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings responded to the Presidents tweet a few hours later. Photo / AP

US President Donald Trump ranted yesterday on Twitter about an African American lawmaker by disparaging the Baltimore district that Elijah Cummings represents as a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess" and that "No human being would want to live there".

As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Cummings has initiated most of the investigations into the Trump administration's operations and policies, including reports of inhumane treatment at migrant detention centres.

Trump tweeted that Cummings' district is "FAR WORSE and more dangerous" than conditions at the border. He suggested Cummings focus his attention on cleaning up "this very dangerous & filthy place".

Cummings responded a few hours later.

"Mr. President, I go home to my district daily. Each morning, I wake up, and I go and fight for my neighbors [sic]," Cummings tweeted. "It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents."

Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young released a statement defending both Cummings and his city, calling the president a "disappointment to the people of Baltimore, our country and to the world".

"It's completely unacceptable for the political leader of our country to denigrate a vibrant American City like Baltimore, and to viciously attack US Representative Elijah Cummings a patriot and a hero," he said. "Mr. Trump's rhetoric is hurtful and dangerous to the people he's sworn to represent."

Former Vice President and presidential candidate Joe Biden tweeted in response: "It is despicable for you to attack him and the people of Baltimore this way. "Once again you have proved yourself unfit to hold the office. A President is supposed to lift this nation up. Not tear it down."

In an emotional monologue, CNN's Victor Blackwell pointed out that Trump has often used the word "infested" to refer to places where black and brown people live. To Trump's contention that "no human being" would want to live in Baltimore, Blackwell said, his eyes filled with tears, that he did.