Barack Obama: “Today's action was a major step forward in achieving that goal.”

People need to “rediscover what’s the story we tell about how we’re going to live together, and see each other, and recognise each other, and disagree, and yet, still care for each other”.

The effort, he said, “should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views.”

It is a decision about how do we face and embrace this finite amount of time we have on the planet.

The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.