President Trump responded to critics on both sides of the aisle Tuesday morning, declaring that his original tweets to the Squad were “NOT” racist in nature, adding, “I don’t have a Racist bone in my body!” and warning Republicans not to fall to the left’s trap.

Trump faced a flurry of backlash from the left after calling on Democrat freshman lawmakers – who routinely criticize the United States – to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came.” The president refused to back down from his remarks and turned the tables on the Squad, calling on them to apologize for their own “foul language” and “terrible things they have said.”

In response, House Democrats drafted a resolution to condemn Trump’s “racist” tweets against Squad members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).

The House “strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of color,” it reads in part.

Trump defended himself on Twitter Tuesday morning and warned Republicans against falling for the left’s trap.

He wrote:

Those Tweets were NOT Racist. I don’t have a Racist bone in my body! The so-called vote to be taken is a Democrat con game. Republicans should not show ‘weakness’ and fall into their trap. This should be a vote on the filthy language, statements and lies told by the Democrat Congresswomen, who I truly believe, based on their actions, hate our Country. Get a list of the HORRIBLE things they have said. Omar is polling at 8%, Cortez at 21%. Nancy Pelosi tried to push them away, but now they are forever wedded to the Democrat Party. See you in 2020!

Some speculate that Trump’s critiques were tactical, essentially forcing the fractured Democrat Party to defend the most extreme members of its caucus. The president all but confirmed that in a tweet Monday evening.

“The Dems were trying to distance themselves from the four ‘progressives,’ but now they are forced to embrace them,” he tweeted. “That means they are endorsing Socialism, hate of Israel and the USA! Not good for the Democrats!”

He added that Democrat leaders will not condemn the “anti-Israel, anti-USA, pro-terrorist” Squad because they are “afraid to take them on.”