US President Donald Trump's spiteful Twitter remarks on a female news anchor's looks have come under serious attack from different quarters and also from his own Republican colleagues.
The latest incident took place on Thursday when Trump disparaged Mika Brzezinski, co-host of the MSNBC progaramme "Morning Joe".
In a series of tweets, Trump called Brzezinski "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and said she was "bleeding badly from a face-lift" when she visited his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida around New Year's Eve.
The President did not hide the fact that he targeted the news anchor because she spoke badly of him and also urged his followers not to watch anymore the show co-hosted by Brzezinski.
I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017
"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling mocked the US President with a quote by one of his predecessors, the media reported.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power," Rowling tweeted on Thursday night.
The quote, which she attributed to President Abraham Lincoln, led to over 35,000 re-tweets.
...to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017
Leading celebrities like John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, and Chelsea Handler also slam the bullying, reported variety.com.
Model Teigen called Trump a "national embarrassment". She tweeted: "It's like you have no idea how to even fake being a normal human being. You are the proud type of insane."
Singer-songwriter Legend pointed out the irony of the tweets when compared to the First Lady Melania's pledge to curb cyberbullying. He tweeted: "I see Melania's campaign to end cyber bullying is off to a slow start. America elected a very sh*tty person to be President."
#DumbAsARockMika and lover #JealousJoe are lost, confused & saddened since @POTUS @realDonaldTrump stopped returning their calls! Unhinged.
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) June 29, 2017
Comedian Handler also suggested that Trump himself might want to get a face-lift.
Although the White House defended the President's conduct, some of his Republican colleagues made their disapproval of the tweets public.
Republican Senator Susan Collins wrote on Twitter that the President's Twitter tirade "has to stop". "This has to stop -- we all have a job -- 3 branches of gov't and media. We don't have to get along, but we must show respect and civility" she said.
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) June 29, 2017
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted that Trump's remark "represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America".
Countless Democrats echoed similar sentiments across various platforms, CNN reported.
@Rosie, @megynkelly, @CarlyFiorina, @morningmika, flat-chested women, Alicia Machado...long list of women Trump's attacked. He's disgusting.
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) June 29, 2017
Defending the President's act, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, "I think he's been very clear that, when attacked, he's going to hit back".
TV show host Andy Cohen said Trump's attack was right out of the "Real Housewives" playbook.
I do not think making fun of a woman's looks is acceptable. I get it every day of my life. I think that tweet is cruel - and unpresidential
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 29, 2017
Actor Josh Gad also tweeted: "What was said this morning about @morningmika and @JoeNBC by the President of the United States is disgusting, disgraceful and beyond the pale."
Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson said that his "faith in this country forces" him "to believe that even most of Donald Trump's supporters think his tweets this morning are in bad taste."
