Barack Obama: “America remains a country where, if you work hard and you don't give up and you are persistent, you can succeed.”

When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.

It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say.

The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views.

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.