US House condemns Trump’s racist attack on congresswomen

The US House of Representatives has voted to condemn President Donald Trump after a series of attacks aimed at four congresswomen.

The symbolic resolution denounced Trump's "racist comments that have legitimised fear and hatred of New Americans and people of colour".

Trump had been accused of racism and xenophobia for telling the members of congress to leave the country.

The president has since tweeted: "I don't have a Racist bone in my body!"

Trump had told the group of congresswomen on Sunday to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

All four lawmakers - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan - are U.S. citizens. Three were born in the United States.

Democrats, who have a majority in the House, passed the resolution by 240 votes to 187 on Tuesday evening.

Four Republicans and one independent joined the Democrats to support the measure.

Passing a resolution - which is a statement of opinion and not legally binding - criticising presidential conduct is very rare.