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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Patrick Grafton-Green

Nigel Farage says Donald Trump’s ‘go back’ comments to congresswomen were ‘genius’

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage called Donald Trump 'a remarkably effective operator' (Picture: Getty Images)

Nigel Farage has said Donald Trump's "go back" comments aimed at four congresswomen of colour were "genius".

The US president's remarks were widely condemned as racist after he told the four Democrats known as the Squad to return to the "broken and crime infested places from which they came".

Despite heavy criticism over the issue he refused to back down, insisting that his comments were not racist.

In an interview with The Times, Brexit Party leader Mr Farage praised Mr Trump's words as being politically shrewd, despite saying they made him feel uncomfortable.

Mr Trump was widely condemned for his comments about the congresswomen (EPA)

Mr Farage compared watching his ally's "pretty brisk style" to being a child watching daleks on Doctor Who.

He added: "I thought, 'Dear, oh dear, oh dear'. You realise, 48 hours on, it was genius because what's happened is the Democrats gather round the Squad, which allows him to say, 'Oh look, the Squad are the centre of the Democratic Party'.

"He's remarkably good at what he does.

http://players.brightcove.net/1348423965/default_default/index.html?videoId=6065700815001

"He does things his way. But he is a remarkably effective operator."

Mr Trump was targeting congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib with the remarks.

They are all US citizens and only Ms Omar, from Somalia, was born outside the nation.

The president criticised the women "who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world".

He suggested "why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned the remarks as "racist" and challenged Boris Johnson to do so too during the Tory leadership contest.

Mr Johnson refused to, but did criticise the remarks as "totally unacceptable".

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