Trump calls Democratic congresswomen 'pro-terrorist, anti-USA' in new racist rant

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday continued his racist attacks against four Congresswomen of colour, falsely accusing them of being "anti-USA" and "pro-terrorist".

The controversial president first attacked the four first-term congresswomen - who are of Hispanic, Arab, Somali and African American origin – on Sunday, telling them to "go back" to the countries they "originally came from"  

The Congresswomen include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

On Tuesday, Trump slammed them as "anti-Israel, anti-USA" and "pro-terrorist" in a new rant on Twitter.

"The Democratic Congresswomen have been spewing some of the most vile, hateful, and disgusting things ever said by a politician in the House or Senate," wrote Trump

"Horrible, anti-Israel, anti-USA, pro-terrorist & public ... shouting of the F...word, among many other terrible things. Why isn't the House voting to rebuke the filthy and hate laced things they have said?"

On Monday, the Democratic congresswomen hit back at Trump, saying he was trying to distract attention away from his policies with his "blatantly racist attack."

"This is the agenda of white nationalists," Ilhan Omar of Minnesota said.  Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts urged the American people "to not take the bait."

"This is simply a disruption and a distraction from the callous chaotic and corrupt culture of this administration, all the way down," Pressley said.

Tlaib said Trump's tweets and remarks were "a continuation of his racist and xenophobic playbook."

"We cannot allow these hateful actions by the president to distract us from the critical work to hold this administration accountable to the inhumane conditions at the border that is separating children from their loved ones and caging them up in illegal, horrific conditions," she said.

Omar and Tlaib repeated calls for Trump to be impeached.

'Destructive'

Trump's extraordinary attacks on the lawmakers prompted critical reactions from foreign leaders and outrage from Democrats.

Republicans were initially silent, but on Monday several of his party faithful began to speak up.

"My view is that what was said and what was tweeted was destructive, was demeaning, was disunifying, and frankly it was very wrong," said Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah.

"There is no excuse for the president's spiteful comments -- they were absolutely unacceptable and this needs to stop," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska. "We must demand a higher standard of decorum and decency."

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she disagreed with the policies espoused by the "far-left" Democratic lawmakers, but that Trump was "way over the line."

Texan Will Hurd, the only black Republican in the House of Representatives, told CNN that Trump's behaviour was "unbecoming of the leader of the free world."

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became the latest international leader to condemn Trump's tweets.

"I completely and utterly disagree with him," she told Radio New Zealand, noting that her country welcomed diversity in the corridors of power.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain's Theresa May also expressed disapproval.

Agencies contributed to this report.