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O'Rourke's birth name is Robert, but he was nicknamed \"Beto\" as a child by his parents since he has the same name as his grandfather. The former congressman is of Irish decent, but his ancestors settled in El Paso. \"Beto\" is a common Spanish nickname.

Mocking O'Rourke's nickname became a campaign strategy last year during his Senate contest against Ted Cruz, as well. Cruz released a radio ad in March 2018 with the lines, \"I remember reading stories liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin.\"

It's also not the first time the president has called O'Rourke \"phony\" for using the Spanish nickname despite being of Irish heritage.

Trump, while campaigning for Cruz in October 2018, also called O'Rourke a \"stone-cold phony named Robert Francis O'Rourke.\"

O'Rourke quickly responded to Trump's tweet, saying, \"22 people are dead in my hometown after an act of terror inspired by your racism. El Paso will not be quiet and neither will I.\"

22 people in my hometown are dead after an act of terror inspired by your racism. El Paso will not be quiet and neither will I. https://t.co/dakFPKj0vJ

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 7, 2019

Trump has repeatedly denied that he is a racist.

\"I'm the least racist person there is anywhere in the world,\" Trump said late last month, in reference to his controversial comments about Elijah Cummings, his district in Baltimore and New York Rev. Al Sharpton.

Trump's tweet targeting O'Rourke's nickname came just hours before he visits the city scarred by the mass shooting. The alleged shooter, Patrick Crusius, told law enforcement he wanted to kill as many Mexicans as possible, according to sources, and also wrote what authorities called a \"manifesto\" filled with anti-immigrant themes.

O'Rourke has minced no words in blaming Trump for the shooter's actions. He offered a profanity-filled tirade against Trump when asked by CNN whether the president could \"make this any better.\"

\"You know the s--- he's been saying. He's been calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals,\" O'Rourke responded. \"He's not tolerating racism, he's promoting racism. He's not tolerating violence, he's inciting racism and violence in this country.\"

\"PHOTO:
Lola Gomez/Austin American-Statesman via AP
PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke walks next to his wife Amy Hoover Sanders and Rep. Veronica Escobar Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019.
>

Trump's tweet is also in direct opposition to words he has spoken since the shooting.

Just one day earlier, in a nationally televised message, the president said, \"Now is the time to set destructive partisanship aside -- so destructive -- and find the courage to answer hatred with unity, devotion and love.\"

Trump's reference to when he \"trounced\" O'Rourke is unclear, but may refer to dueling rallies the two held simultaneously on Feb. 11 in El Paso. Trump's campaign has still not paid the bill for that visit.

Many locals and politicians opposed Trump's visit to El Paso. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who replaced O'Rourke as congresswoman in the district, is among those who said she will not participate in Trump's visit.

Escobar tweeted, \"I have publicly said he has a responsibility to acknowledge the power of his words, apologize for them, and take them back because they are still hanging over us. I asked for a call so I could say this to him over the phone and ask for a dialogue that could lead to healing. I was told that @realDonaldTrump is 'too busy' to have that conversation.\"

I was told that @realDonaldTrump is “too busy” to have that conversation.

I declined the invitation because I refuse to be an accessory to his visit. I refuse to join without a dialogue about the pain his racist and hateful words & actions have caused our community and country.

— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) August 6, 2019

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout told ABC News the visit from Trump was \"throwing salt\" in a \"gaping wound.\"

\"I don’t plan to see him,\" Stout said on ABC News Live's \"The Briefing Room.\" \"I think that this community is still in a lot of pain. There’s a gaping wound that’s still open here.\"

ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Jeff Cook, Devin Dwyer and Chris Donovan contributed to this report.

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