Trump to Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters: 'Be careful'

Representative Maxine Waters has been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration

US President Donald Trump has stepped up his war of words with Democrats after his spokeswoman was kicked out of a restaurant by its anti-Trump owner.

Democratic lawmaker Maxine Waters encouraged supporters to publicly harass Trump administration officials during a rally on Saturday.

On Monday, Mr Trump warned Ms Waters in a tweet: "Be careful what you wish for Max."

Top Democrat Nancy Pelosi has chided Ms Waters, as well as Mr Trump.

• Red Hen Yelp listing hit by protests

In his tweet on Monday, Mr Trump called Ms Waters a person with "an extraordinarily low IQ" who had "called for harm" to his supporters.

The controversy began on Friday night, when White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was kicked out of the Red Hen restaurant because of her work for President Trump.

"I have a business, and I want the business to thrive," owner Stephanie Wilkinson later told the Washington Post.

"This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals," she continued.

At a rally in Los Angeles on Saturday, Ms Waters encouraged people to act against the Trump administration in similar ways.

"If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd, and you push back on them," she said at the event, which was filmed and shared on YouTube.

"You tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere," the California congresswoman said, calling for Mr Trump's impeachment during the same speech.

A respite from Washington

Analysis by Tara McKelvey, BBC White House Reporter

As President Trump walked across the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, my colleagues and I shouted questions about migrant family separations.

He gave a wave and left on Marine One, heading to South Carolina, a state he won by a landslide in 2016. It'll provide a respite from Washington - and highlights the divide between the nation's capital and the conservative political heartland.

Mr Trump will lead a rally in the state capitol of Columbia for Governor Henry McMaster - on the eve of a gubernatorial vote in the state.

As lieutenant governor, McMaster was the first state-wide official to endorse Mr Trump. Now the president is returning the favour.

Mr Trump may be under attack in Washington. In cities like West Columbia, though, he's treated as a welcome guest.

During an interview on MSNBC after the rally, Ms Waters encouraged Americans to "harass them [Trump administration officials] until they decide that they're going to tell the President, 'no I can't hang with you'".

Earlier on Monday, President Trump posted a tweet rubbishing the restaurant that threw out his press secretary.

However, the Red Hen received a clean bill of health in its most recent health inspection, which noted "good food/unit temperatures" and staff with clean uniforms and aprons.

The White House press secretary meanwhile addressed the incident.

"We are allowed to disagree but we should be able to do so freely and without fear of harm, and this goes for all people regardless of politics," Ms Sanders told reporters during Monday's daily media briefing.

What's the reaction?

Ms Pelosi, who is the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, chided Ms Waters on Twitter for her lack of civil discourse, while also calling out Mr Trump's "daily lack of civility".

Donald Trump Jr also had his say online, asking: "Does anyone reasonably believe other Democrats won't escalate this further to actual violence?"

Meghan McCain called Ms Waters' comments "absolutely insane - and extremely dangerous".

But some on Twitter pointed out that Ms Waters had been perhaps irresponsible with her comments, but did not incite violence.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker said in an interview with MSNBC that he agreed with Ms Waters.

"If I saw an administrator out and about, there's nothing wrong with confronting that person," he said.

However, he encouraged people to "always lead with love".

The Red Hen controversy is not the first instance of Trump officials facing an angry public in the wake of the increasingly heated immigration debate.

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi received a police escort while leaving a movie theatre after she was confronted by protesters over her healthcare and immigration views.

Last Wednesday, Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was booed at a Mexican restaurant in Washington DC.

Department of Homeland Security employees have reportedly been receiving threats over the president's policies.

One department official said he found a decapitated and burned animal on his porch, WTOP reported.