DNC Chair Tom Perez, DNC CEO Seema Nanda, DNC Vice Chair Grace Meng, and DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong released the following statement:

“Our world is in crisis. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people have lost their jobs, their savings, and even their lives. In this time of crisis, we must come together as Americans. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has stoked the flames of racism by insisting on calling COVID-19 the ‘Chinese virus’ and equating Chinatowns in the United States with China. Words matter. Words have consequences. And words like Donald Trump’s are dangerous. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a disturbing rise in racist acts against Asian American communities. Across the country, Asian Americans are being threatened on sidewalks, shouted at in grocery stores, and vilified online. And in Texas, a man even stabbed two Asian American children and their father, in what researchers expect to be just the beginning of a wave of hate crimes. This must end. Federal agencies like the CDC and DOJ must work to stop anti-Asian sentiment, and every member of Congress must denounce Trump’s deliberate attempts to stoke bigotry and hate against Asian Americans. Democrats stand as and with the Asian American community against racism and bigotry in any form, and we will continue fighting for an America that treats all people with dignity and respect.”