Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-M.O., sparked fierce backlash Wednesday after attacking First Lady Melania Trump’s modeling career and questioning her immigration visa during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.
President Donald Trump fired back with one of his classic nicknames, calling the Missouri Democrat “a Seriously Low IQ Individual.”
During the heated hearing on immigration policy, Crockett took aim at Melania Trump’s EB-1 visa, nicknamed the “Einstein visa,” which she received as a model in the 1990s before becoming a U.S. citizen in 2006.
“Melania, the first lady — a model, and when I say model, I’m not talking Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford, or Naomi Campbell-level — applied for and was given an EB-1 visa,” Crockett said during the Wednesday hearing.
The Democratic lawmaker claimed that Einstein visa recipients are “supposed to have some sort of significant achievement, like being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize or a Pulitzer, being an Olympic medalist, or having other sustained extraordinary abilities and success in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.”
“Last time I checked, the first lady had none of those accolades under her belt,” Crockett continued. “It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the math ain’t mathin’ here.”
Crockett’s comments came as she accused Republicans of lacking “integrity when it comes to the president’s family’s visas” while discussing the Trump administration’s illegal immigration enforcement efforts.
“Since we’re talking about integrity, I’m confused as to why my Republican colleagues aren’t talking about the lack of integrity when it comes to the president’s family’s visas,” she said.
The attack drew immediate defense from Alex Nowrasteh, Vice President for Economic and Social Policy Studies, who testified at the hearing. “Not everybody could marry Donald Trump, and I think that’s quite an achievement, so I think she deserves credit for that,” Nowrasteh said. “Nobody up here could have done it!”
Crockett responded sarcastically, “You sure are right. I couldn’t have done it.”
President Trump responded to Crockett’s criticism in a lengthy Truth Social post Tuesday, where he nicknamed her “a seriously low IQ individual” while defending his administration’s victories.
“When we examine her Test Scores, we will find out that she is NOT qualified for office but, nevertheless, far more qualified than Crockett, who is a seriously Low IQ individual,” Trump wrote, comparing Crockett to controversial Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Trump’s response came as part of a broader attack on Democratic lawmakers who have called for his impeachment over recent Iran airstrikes. “So go ahead and try Impeaching me, again, MAKE MY DAY!” Trump challenged.
Social media users quickly condemned Crockett’s remarks about the First Lady.
“Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) disgracefully attacked Melania Trump on Wednesday for her modeling career and visa. Crockett said Melania wasn’t on the same level as other models and didn’t have the accolades to warrant an Einstein visa. Crockett is jealous,” one user wrote on X.
Melania Trump, born in Slovenia in 1970, immigrated legally to the United States in 2001 on the EB-1A visa after starting her modeling career in Europe in the late 1990s. She moved to the U.S. three years after meeting Donald Trump at New York City’s Kit Kat Club and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in July 2006.
The EB-1 visa is designed for individuals with extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or those who have received major international recognition for their achievements — such as a well renown international model.
Critics on social media described Crockett’s comments as “evil” and “a disgrace,” with many calling the Texas lawmaker “jealous” of the First Lady.