Ex-Trump aide Corey Lewandowski reacts to story of immigrant girl with Down syndrome: 'Womp womp'

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is under fire for his reaction to the story of an immigrant girl with Down syndrome during a Tuesday appearance on Fox News.

Lewandowski's controversial comments came as he and panelist Zac Petkanas, a Democratic strategist, discussed the separation of immigrant children and parents at the United States' border with Mexico.

"I read today about a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome who was taken from her mother and put in a cage," Petkanas began before Lewandowski responded, "Womp womp."

"Did you say 'womp womp' to a 10-year-old with Down syndrome being taken from her mother?" Petkanas replied angrily. "How dare you. How dare you. How absolutely dare you!"

The clip quickly circulated on Twitter, sparking outrage and condemnation from celebrities and public figures.

"There is no low to which this coward Corey Lewandowski won't sink," former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who now hosts NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today," tweeted. "This man should not be afforded a national platform to spew his hate."

Conservative commentator Meghan McCain, daughter of Republican Sen. John McCain, tweeted: "This is so horrible, even by Lewandowski standards."

>> Read more trending news

According to CNN, Luis Videgaray, Mexico's foreign minister, said in a news conference earlier Tuesday that the story of the girl, who is Mexican, was "particularly painful." After reaching the border, she and her brother were placed in a different detention facility from their mother, Videgaray said. Mexican officials are pushing for the girl to be released to her father, who legally resides in Texas.

Cox Media Group