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Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch joined the chorus of condemnation from congressional members Thursday responding to President Donald Trump's pair of hostile tweets aimed at the hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"It's incumbent on all of us, then — from the president to Congress on down — to be responsible for our speech," Hatch said.
The Republican senator's response comes a day after he published an op-ed with Time magazine calling for more civility in politics. Trump's messages — calling Joe Scarborough "psycho" and asserting Mika Brzezinski is "crazy" and had a face-lift last year — were inappropriate and offensive, Hatch told media members.
"I wish that he hadn't made the tweet, which says it all, as far as I'm concerned," Hatch told a Fox News reporter.
The Utah senator has called out Trump for his tweets before, encouraging him to be mindful of his rhetoric. Matt Whitlock, the senator's spokesman, said Hatch urges "the president to use his platform for good, to advance the agenda he ran on in November."
While Hatch understands why Trump uses Twitter to spread his message — and that it can be helpful in promoting the president's policies — "every once in awhile you get a dipsy doodle," the senator said Thursday. The comment was not in reference to any specific tweet, including the posts about MSNBC.
Members from both parties were also quick to condemn Trump's harsh words on social media. Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, said the president's tweets were "absolutely inappropriate, no matter how much he feels he is the subject of ridicule from others."
"I wouldn't accept behavior like this from my children," she added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said such tweeting was "beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called it a "sexist attack."
Others skewered the posts as vile and divisive and asked the president to delete his account.
Trump has attacked news agencies and reporters throughout his campaign and time in office, often using the phrase "fake news" to describe outlets he doesn't like. MSNBC has in recent months critiqued the president's leadership and fitness for office. The network responded to the comments, rebuking Trump for "bullying, lying and spewing petty personal attacks instead of doing his job."
Twitter: @CourtneyLTanner