President Donald Trump is facing fresh criticism after referring to Democrats as a “little gnat” during remarks aboard a U.S. Navy ship Sunday. Speaking to sailors in Norfolk, Virginia, for a ceremony marking the Navy’s 250th anniversary, Trump said the United States must “take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats,” according to CNN and Politico.
The president accused Democrats of wanting to “give all of our money to illegal aliens that pour into the country,” while also promising pay raises for service members, despite the ongoing government shutdown, which he blamed on Democrats. “We will get our service members every last penny. Don’t worry about it,” CNN reported him saying.
Backlash over political rhetoric
Trump’s remarks sparked swift backlash from lawmakers and commentators who said he blurred the line between the military and partisan politics. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., wrote that Trump was “blurring the line between law enforcement and the military to go after political opponents,” calling it “unacceptable.”
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Gregg Nunziata, executive director of the Society for the Rule of Law and former domestic policy adviser to Sen. Marco Rubio, called the remarks “repugnant and un-American.”
Oklahoma state lawmaker Forrest Bennett urged “decent people of any political stripe” to condemn them.
The exchange comes amid what HuffPost described as an escalation in Trump’s tone toward his domestic opponents as an “enemy within.”
Trump recently told senior generals that American cities should be used as “training grounds” for the military and referred to domestic opponents as an “enemy within,” Politico reported.
How the event unfolded
The Norfolk event was billed as a celebration of the Navy’s 250th anniversary, with Trump joined by First Lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
In addition to his attacks on Democrats, the president defended his decision to deploy National Guard troops to cities like Portland, Chicago and Memphis, saying he would send “whatever is necessary” to fight crime. A federal judge had temporarily blocked the Oregon deployment this weekend.
What’s next
The president’s comments come as the government shutdown stretches into its first week and as critics warn of growing politicization of the military.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday’s backlash.
