We’re on day three of the president trying to either defend or double/triple/quadruple/etc. down on Sunday’s racist Twitter thread about the so-called “squad,” and it’s still going strong. The day after her husband published a Washington Post op-ed calling her boss “racist,” Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway sparked controversy after asking a Jewish reporter, inquiring about said tweets, about his ethnicity.
The journalist in question was Andrew Feinberg, of BeltwayBreakfast.com, who on Tuesday was attending a press gathering with Conway. Feinberg asked Conway what countries her boss was referring to when he told congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar to go back to homelands. It was a sound one, as three of them hail from America. Few could have expected Conway’s response.
Here’s video, courtesy of @cspan pic.twitter.com/PNqIznSDcO
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 16, 2019
Conway snapped back with a cryptic question: “What’s your ethnicity?” Feinberg demurred, asking her why it was relevant. Conway then offered up that her ancestors are from Ireland and Italy, prompting Feinberg to respond, “My ethnicity is not relevant to the question I’m asking you.” Conway refused to answer his original question, instead talking about how “a lot of us are sick and tired in this country of America coming last.”
The moment went viral, and Feinberg later declared that by asking such a question, Conway “inadvertently confirmed” that her boss was telling the four congresswomen to return to the lands of their respective ancestors.
By asking about my ethnicity (a mix of 🇵🇱 🇱🇹 🇷🇺 and 🇱🇻, I’m told) in response to my question, @KellyannePolls inadvertently confirmed that @realDonaldTrump was telling @IlhanMN, @RashidaTlaib, @AOC, @AyannaPressley to return to Somalia, Gaza, Puerto Rico, and somewhere in Africa. https://t.co/0egLbFXILk
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 16, 2019
For the record, Conway tried to explain what she meant, claiming she meant no disrespect.
This was meant with no disrespect.
We are all from somewhere else “originally”. I asked the question to answer the question and volunteered my own ethnicity: Italian and Irish.
Like many, I am proud of my ethnicity, love the USA & grateful to God to be an American 🇺🇸 https://t.co/OvBALIO6WP
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) July 16, 2019
But many weren’t buying it, finding the sight of a Trump staffer asking a Jewish reporter about his ethnicity a touch disturbing.
Jewish reporter @AndrewFeinberg asks Kellyanne Conway about Trump’s racist tweets.
Kellyanne’s response?
“What’s your ethnicity?”
There goes that ‘anti-Semitism’ talking point they were clinging to.https://t.co/km0fGuCWpu
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) July 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/1151174601680007173
A journalist with a Jewish-coded surname just asked Kellyanne Conway about Trump's racist attacks against Black, Latinx & Arab Congresswomen and she responded by asking him, "What's your ethnicity?". Subtle, she's not. https://t.co/FppnuueeHZ
— Alexander (@purplechrain) July 16, 2019
Just to be clear, I was referring to @AndrewFeinberg asking his question as a reporter, not Conway asking about his ethnicity.
— Jake Lahut (@JakeLahut) July 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/MarkDask/status/1151161624813850624
https://twitter.com/ErasmusKane/status/1151148575071625216
@AndrewFeinberg asks Kellyanne Conway : "What do you think of Trump's latest tweets?"
Kellyanne Conway : “What’s your ethnicity?”
Andrew Feinberg: pic.twitter.com/ghzmyUd3S8
— Kenn O'bé ® (@HipHop_Titan) July 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/bentev28/status/1151177099685724160
https://twitter.com/lisang/status/1151180955622825984
https://twitter.com/lisang/status/1151171461379440640
Also for the record, Feinberg didn’t think Conway was being anti-Semitic.
No, I don’t think she was being anti-Semitic.
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 16, 2019
But for some, such a question felt all too familiar.
My entire life countless white woman have asked me:
"What's your ethnicity?"
"Where are you really from?"
"Where is your family from?"But never a government official when I'm asking a question as a reporter. #BeBest, Kellyanne Conway https://t.co/d7l0BpS02A
— Aisha Sultan (@AishaS) July 16, 2019
Others had their own answers.
https://twitter.com/aemccarthy/status/1151171237038759936