Donald Trump exploded on Twitter Monday afternoon and suggested his attacks on four progressive lawmakers would ultimately harm the Democratic Party even as caucus members united to condemn the president’s comments as racist.

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

Trump continued to dig in on his criticisms of the congresswomen as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley held a press conference to respond to Trump’s incendiary comments.

The president sparked an uproar on Sunday morning when he tweeted that unnamed progressive congresswomen “who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe” should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

We will never be a Socialist or Communist Country. IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY HERE, YOU CAN LEAVE! It is your choice, and your choice alone. This is about love for America. Certain people HATE our Country….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2019

….They are anti-Israel, pro Al-Qaeda, and comment on the 9/11 attack, “some people did something.” Radical Left Democrats want Open Borders, which means drugs, crime, human trafficking, and much more….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2019

….Detention facilities are not Concentration Camps! America has never been stronger than it is now – rebuilt Military, highest Stock Market EVER, lowest unemployment and more people working than ever before. Keep America Great!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2019

Trump spent the day on Monday doubling down on his attacks, insisting that the those who are inclined to criticize the U.S. should leave.

“They can leave. And you know what? I’m sure there will be many people that won’t miss them. But they have to love our country. They’re congresspeople,” he said.

He targeted Omar in particular, suggesting she “hates Jews” because of her past comments about Israel and claimed without evidence that she’s sympathetic to al-Qaeda.

The four congresswomen, who refer to themselves as “The Squad,” denounced Trump’s comments as a “distraction” during their press conference later Monday.

“We’ll stay focused on our agenda… because all of this is a distraction. Its’ a distraction from what’s important and from our core values as Americans,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Omar called it “complete hypocrisy” for Trump to condemn the lawmakers for criticizing the government, noting he campaigned in 2016 on airing grievances with past administrations.

She referred to his comments on a years-old “Access Hollywood” tape in which he bragged about groping women, when he referred to African nations as “shithole countries,” and when he derided athletes who kneel during the national anthem as “sons of bitches.”

Tlaib called Trump’s remarks “a continuation of his racist and xenophobic playbook.”