Rep. Michelle Steel says she’s been called ‘Chairman Mao’

Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), one of the first three Korean American members of Congress, said in an interview that aired on Sunday that she has faced racist attacks, including being called “Chairman Mao.”

Steel appeared on a segment of CNN’s “State of the Union” along with Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), a fellow Korean American congresswoman with whom she has been friends for more than 30 years.

While talking about the racist behavior she has encountered, Steel told host Dana Bash that she has also been accused of eating dogs.

“I can’t say it on TV, but, you know racist — my favorite [was] Chairman Mao,” Steel said.

Rep. Michelle Steel and Rep. Young Kim, the first GOP Korean American congresswomen, discuss the impact of rising anti-Asian hate and harassment, their personal experiences and their hopes to diversify the Republican Party. @DanaBashCNN reports. https://t.co/mDxBkgLq73 #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/PjH2nyIBRS

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 21, 2021

During the same interview, Kim said the anti-Asian rhetoric from some of her GOP colleagues and former President Trump was “completely wrong, insensitive.”

Bash asked Kim if she believed the rhetoric contributed to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.

“You know, the words of the leaders have consequences. They need to be careful about what they say because people really take that to heart,” Kim responded.

Several Democratic Asian American members of Congress, such as Rep. Grace Meng (N.Y.), have directly blamed Trump for contributing to the rise in anti-Asian American violence such as the deadly shootings last week in Atlanta that killed six women of Asian descent.

“People cannot work, and they cannot put food on the table for their families. They have to do something about it, and then we are the victim, we just — Asian Americans — just became the victim. So we really have to change that,” Kim added on CNN.