Trump praises Elijah Cummings ‘strength, passion and wisdom’ months after taunting him for Baltimore break-in

President had launched a series of scathing attacks on the veteran Baltimore politician who died on Thursday

The late congressman led investigations into the president’s official conduct (EPA)

Donald Trump has paid tribute to Elijah Cummings, who died suddenly on Thursday, praising the Democratic congressman for his “strength, passion and wisdom” just months after describing his Baltimore district as “rat infested” and taunting him over a break-in at his home.

“My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of congressman Elijah Cummings,” Mr Trump tweeted. “I got to see first hand the strength, passion and wisdom of this highly respected political leader. His work and voice on so many fronts will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace!”

The death of Cummings, a respected lawmaker known for his civil rights advocacy and for improving conditions in his Baltimore district, was met with sorrow on both sides of the political aisle.

Cummings died overnight from medical complications linked to longstanding health issues, his office announced. He was 68.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called him a “towering character ... whose stirring voice and steadfast values pushed the congress and country to rise always to a higher purpose”, and ordered flags be flown at half-mast in the Capitol, with the same tribute paid at the White House.

“We will miss our champion,” Ms Pelosi, a native of Cummings’ Baltimore, said in her statement.

It was one of many acts by prominent politicians in tribute to Cummings, the son of a sharecropper who rose to become the chairman of the House of Representatives oversight committee.

“Our nation has lost a mighty fighter for democracy, accountability, equity and justice with the tragic loss of congressman Elijah Cummings,” wrote Stacey Abrams, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party. “He never forgot that his was borrowed power, which he wielded in defence of the vulnerable and on behalf of the American people.”

“My heart is broken, as I weep personally and for his family and community,” congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democratic member of the committee, said. “Elijah Cummings’ unmatched integrity and leadership leaves a remarkable legacy.”

Representative Mark Meadows, a Republican member of the committee who frequently sparred with Cummings, said: “There was no stronger advocate and no better friend than Elijah Cummings. I am heartbroken for his wonderful family and staff – please pray for them. I will miss him dearly.“

There was praise too from Democratic presidential candidates, with senator Cory Booker calling him a “true leader”, former congressman Beto O’Rourke remembering a “fighter for justice”, senator Kamala Harris labelling him a political “giant”, and former vice president Joe Biden calling him a “true public servant”.

Cummings had become a key figure in the investigations into Mr Trump, including the proposed addition of a citizenship question to the US Census, the use of private email addresses by White House employees and treatment of migrants at the US-Mexico border.

One of the most memorable moments came when Cummings grilled Mr Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen in February.

The president’s daughter and White House advisor, Ivanka Trump, also praised Cummings, despite the congressman having issued subpoenas for her White House correspondent to determine whether she broke the law in using a private email for public work.

“Elijah Cummings was a dedicated and courageous public servant. A son of sharecroppers, he tirelessly championed his community and country,” she wrote. “May God comfort his loved ones and may he Rest In Peace.”

Cummings’ died at Gilchrist Hospice Care, a Johns Hopkins affiliate in Maryland.