On the Sunday morning shows today, Republicans who attended the immigration meeting in which President Donald Trump reportedly labeled immigrants from Haiti and African nations as “people from shithole countries” came to Trump’s defense, stating that his reported comments were misrepresented or that they couldn’t recall him saying those words. 
 
 Could it be that the president said a word that was extremely similar and used within the same context, and that this is what his defenders from that meeting are hanging their hat on? According to the National Review’s Rich Lowry, this might indeed be that case. 
 
 During a panel discussion on ABC’s This Week, Lowry explained that his sources have told him that instead of saying “shithole,” the president actually said “shithouse countries.” 
 
 “My understanding from the meeting is he used a different but very closely related vulgarity,” Lowry noted. “He said S-house, and not S-hole.” 
 
 The conservative commentator pointed out that regarding the president’s “general remarks,” Trump had “said them.” He added that the “general tenor of the discussion has been reported accurately.” 
 
 Lowry had previously reported this during a panel discussion in which he tangled with CNN political commentator Joan Walsh over whether she’d prefer to live in Norway or Haiti. 
 
 Watch the clip above, via ABC News. 
 
 [image via screengrab] 
 
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 Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com ||||| CLOSE Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin says he personally heard President Donald Trump use "vile and racist" remarks during an immigration meeting with lawmakers. USA TODAY 
 
 President Trump (Photo: Evan Vucci, AP) 
 
 WASHINGTON – Facing a global and congressional firestorm of criticism, President Trump appeared Friday to deny using a vulgar term to describe Haiti, El Salvador and African countries, and instead sought to redirect the focus on what he called unacceptable Democratic proposals on immigration. 
 
 "The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used," Trump tweeted. "What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA!" 
 
 The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used. What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 
 
 Trump ignored questions about the incident during a White House event on Friday: A proclamation to honor the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, which comes on Monday, and used the opportunity to speak about diversity and equality. 
 
 "No matter what the color of our skin or the place of our birth, we are all created equal," Trump said. 
 
 More: 5 other times President Trump's remarks sparked controversy over race 
 
 More: ‘Sh**hole countries,’ UN respond to Trump's ‘Sh**hole countries’ comments 
 
 The attempt to clarify came after The Washington Post reported that Trump questioned in a meeting with lawmakers on Thursday why the U.S. would accept immigrants from "shithole countries" like Haiti or in Africa rather than in places like Norway. Trump had met the previous day with the prime minister of Norway. 
 
 "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" Trump reportedly told lawmakers during negotiations over DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program designed to block deportation of young people brought to the United States illegally by their parents. 
 
 In a subsequent tweet, Trump denied saying anything derogatory of Haiti in particular. "Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country," he said, and suggested he would record future meetings. 
 
 Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 
 
 Trump has threatened to kill the DACA program unless Democrats agree to a host of new security measures designed to block illegal immigration, including a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. 
 
 More: Report: Trump uses crude term while attacking protections for immigrants 
 
 More: 'Divisive,' 'elitist,' 'racist': Reactions to Trump's immigration comments 
 
 Yet upcoming negotiations between the White House and Congress on immigration are likely to be shadowed by the reported presidential comments, which some lawmakers and human rights officials denounced as racist. 
 
 "The President’s statement is shameful, abhorrent, unpresidental, and deserves our strongest condemnation," said Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "We must use our voices to ensure that our nation never returns to the days when ignorance, prejudice, and racism dictated our decision making." 
 
 Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, a daughter of Haitian immigrants, demanded Trump apologize, calling his comments "unkind, divisive, (and) elitist," and that they "fly in the face of our nation’s values." 
 
 The government of Haiti has demanded that U.S. officials provide an explanation of the president's remarks, and the government of El Salvador lodged a protest. "El Salvador demands respect for the dignity of its noble and brave people," it said in a statement. 
 
 Rupert Colville, a human rights spokesman for the United Nations, said: "If confirmed, these are shocking and shameful comments from the president of the United States, I'm sorry but there is no other word for this but racist." 
 
 During his Friday tweet storm, Trump also rejected a bipartisan congressional proposal on DACA, saying it lacked funding for the U.S.-Mexico wall and did not end programs like "chain migration." 
 
 The president's criticism came a day after discussing immigration ideas with a bipartisan delegation that included Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. 
 
 While some Republicans supported various compromise proposals, Trump put the blame on Democrats. 
 
 Saying he wanted a "merit based" immigration system that blocks drug dealers and criminals, Trump said the bipartisan proposal would somehow force the United States to "take large numbers of people from high crime countries which are doing badly." 
 
 The so-called bipartisan DACA deal presented yesterday to myself and a group of Republican Senators and Congressmen was a big step backwards. Wall was not properly funded, Chain & Lottery were made worse and USA would be forced to take large numbers of people from high crime..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 
 
 ....countries which are doing badly. I want a merit based system of immigration and people who will help take our country to the next level. I want safety and security for our people. I want to stop the massive inflow of drugs. I want to fund our military, not do a Dem defund.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 
 
 Democrats said Trump's goal, reflected in his alleged comment, is to allow immigration from predominantly white countries and block it from predominately black and brown countries. 
 
 "He is making it very clear that it is LEGAL immigration he opposes if the people look a certain way or come from certain countries (like countries that are not Norway)," tweeted Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Ill. 
 
 Some congressional Democrats have threatened to block a new government spending plan unless the DACA program for young people is addressed, risking a government shutdown that also drew Trump's ire. 
 
 "Sadly, Democrats want to stop paying our troops and government workers in order to give a sweetheart deal, not a fair deal, for DACA," Trump tweeted. "Take care of our Military, and our Country, FIRST!" 
 
 If it happens, a government shutdown would not cut off funding for troops or military operations; only non-essential personnel would be affected. 
 
 Some Republicans implicitly rebuked Trump, while others stayed largely silent. 
 
 Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted out a series of contributions to America made by people of Haitian descent, from doctors and lawmakers to University of Georgia star football running back Sony Michel. 
 
 In one post, Rubio tweeted out a Bible verse: "Slander no one ... be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone Titus 3 1-2." 
 
 Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican from Arizona who is leaving the Senate after this year, was more direct concerning Trump: "The words used by the President, as related to me directly following the meeting by those in attendance, were not 'tough,' they were abhorrent and repulsive." 
 
 CLOSE President Trump is denying a report he used the word 'shithole' to describe African countries and Haiti. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) has his statement. Buzz60 
 
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– There's a new flavor of debate regarding President Trump's alleged "shithole" comment: whether he actually said a different word that begins with s-h-i-t. Rich Lowry of the National Review appeared on ABC's This Week on Sunday and said his sources say Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and African countries as "shithouse countries" on Thursday. "My understanding from the meeting is he used a different but very closely related vulgarity," Mediaite reports Lowry as saying, and it suggests that the GOP senators who have issued denials around Trump's use of "shithole" are "hanging their hat" on the technicality. Mashable points out that Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post tweeted much the same thing Sunday night. "White House official told me tonight there is debate internally on whether Trump said 'shithole' or 'shithouse.' Perdue and Cotton seem to have heard latter, this person said, and are using to deny," he wrote. Whatever the word, South Africa is not pleased. CNN reports that the country will issue a diplomatic protest Monday, and Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein confirmed that high-ranking diplomats in South Africa and Ghana had been called for government meetings Monday. Reuters reports the No. 2 US official at the embassy will be asked to "explain the statement," per a statement given to the media Sunday that also noted "South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union." Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday told reporters he is the "least racist person you have ever interviewed."