During Tuesday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary falsely claimed that Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons on his own people and, in subsequent clarifications, continued to insist that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons was somehow worse.
Members of Congress, most of whom are spending their recesses engaged at home with constituents, soon started issuing responses to Spicer’s comments. Most condemned the remarks and suggested Spicer needed some history lessons, perhaps from the United States Holocaust Museum, which is located just a few blocks from the White House.
*Lawmakers marked with an asterisk have called for Spicer to lose his job.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD):
Someone get @PressSec a refresher history course on Hitler stat #Icantbelievehereallysaidthat
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) April 11, 2017
Sean Spicer: Really? The term you were looking for was concentration camps.
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) April 11, 2017
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA):
Absolutely shameful and offensive. Mr. Spicer needs an history lesson and should apologize. https://t.co/Msvl3ai8zJ
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) April 11, 2017
*Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ):
Can we please get @joshearnest back? https://t.co/cel91qJGXd
— Rep. Donald Payne Jr (@RepDonaldPayne) April 11, 2017
Sean Spicer speaks on behalf of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and he spews garbage like this from the White House podium.
— Rep. Donald Payne Jr (@RepDonaldPayne) April 11, 2017
The only clarification from Sean Spicer we want to see: I'm obviously incompetent and will resign as @PressSec https://t.co/HHahGUyWrN
— Rep. Donald Payne Jr (@RepDonaldPayne) April 11, 2017
*Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI):
My God. https://t.co/pJNxoP4nZN
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) April 11, 2017
Donald Trump's White House doesn't get the benefit of the doubt on anti-Semitism.
Sean Spicer needs to resign. Period.
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) April 11, 2017
Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY):
Hitler used chemical weapons to systematically murder millions of Jewish men, women & children. Were they not "innocent," @PressSec? https://t.co/jIacd4u5Le
— Kathleen Rice (@RepKathleenRice) April 11, 2017
No reason to call one mass murderer less despicable than another. Use of chemical weapons against anyone is an atrocity. Period.
— Kathleen Rice (@RepKathleenRice) April 11, 2017
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA):
Never thought I would say this, but Sean Spicer should go back to talking about crowd size at the inauguration. https://t.co/D2JZLuypiw
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) April 11, 2017
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD):
We did a bipartisan freshman class visit to the @HolocaustMuseum last week and I seriously encourage Mr. Spicer to go visit w/ @POTUS. pic.twitter.com/ClvaCtnkK4
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) April 11, 2017
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY):
An unbelievably inappropriate, uninformed, offensive + inexcusable remark from the person designated as official White House spokesperson. https://t.co/74RAJS2eUO
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 11, 2017
Hitler said German Jews were not German to excuse his atrocities. Spicer's comments are uninformed + inconceivably stupid, to say the least. https://t.co/OB1xNT2XB6
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 11, 2017
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI):
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY):
There's no excuse for Holocaust denial from the White House. It's an insult to all Americans, Jewish or not, as well as the Nazis' victims. https://t.co/0XSVHdJbjR
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) April 11, 2017
*House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA):
.@realDonaldTrump, it’s time to fire @PressSec Sean Spicer. https://t.co/35sTqfkp1d pic.twitter.com/Lw73GVtKDh
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) April 11, 2017
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY):
What was #SeanSpicer thinking!? Comparing #Hitler #Assad as Jewish families celebrate #Passover is reckless https://t.co/orXX1aBZeV
— Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) April 11, 2017
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA):
Unbelievable: Trump @WhiteHouse leaves out mention of Jewish people on Holocaust Remembrance Day, and now this during #Passover. https://t.co/o2yXa3FTMj
— Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) April 11, 2017
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA):
Does Sean Spicer know anything about ANYTHING? His remarks about the Holocaust were shamefully ignorant — at best! https://t.co/YSb8PO6wxo
— Rep. Roybal-Allard (@RepRoybalAllard) April 11, 2017
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA):
Sean Spicer's dismissal of the Holocaust’s atrocities is disgusting. His comments are unhinged from reality. https://t.co/RG1p57fLsA
— Linda T. Sánchez (@RepLindaSanchez) April 11, 2017
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL):
Whether ignorant or cruel, Spicer's comments must be condemned by @POTUS. He needs to visit @HolocaustMuseum for a powerful dose of reality.
— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) April 11, 2017
@PressSec defended omission of Jews from Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. He called us "pathetic" for complaining. Stunningly offensive.
— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) April 11, 2017
I can't believe I have to say this to WH @PressSec: Hitler used Zyklon B (chemical weapons) to kill his own people & Nazis killed 6M Jews.
— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) April 11, 2017
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI):
.@PressSec isn't just President Trump's spokesman. He speaks behind the podium representing America. Such a denial of history is disturbing. https://t.co/4mkGJSqGyX
— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) April 11, 2017
So far, only Democratic lawmakers have responded to the comments. Congressional Republicans have been active on social media, though. For example, Rep. Larry Bucschon (R-IN) retweeted President Trump’s video congratulating Justice Neil Gorsuch, while Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) lent a helping hand to 16-year-old Carter Wilkerson, who is trying to get 18 million retweets so that Wendy’s will give him a year’s supply of chicken nuggets:
This post has been updated.