(CNN) On Thursday, in a meeting with a senators and House members on immigration, the President of the United States, asked this : "Why do we want all these people from 'shithole countries' coming here?"

Yes, he said "shithole countries" -- apparently in reference to the fact that immigrants from places like El Salvador, Haiti and Africa were being protected in a potential bipartisan deal to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and secure funding for border security.

What's even more appalling is that the White House didn't even try to deny that Trump used that slur, which was first reported in The Washington Post. In fact, in a lengthy statement from White House spokesman Raj Shah, the administration seemed to even defend the sentiment. "Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people," said Shah.

But it gets even worse. Asked about the "shithole" comments, a White House official told CNN's Kaitlan Collins this:

"The President's 'shithole' remark is being received much differently inside of the White House than it is outside of it. Though this might enrage Washington, staffers predict the comment will resonate with his base, much like his attacks on NFL players who kneel during the National Anthem did not alienate it."

Stop. Read that again. Here's what it means: The President's voicing of a racist remark about the sorts of people whom we are letting into the country is actually a good thing because people who like Trump will agree with him.

Make no mistake: This is the lowest ebb of a presidency defined by a series of low ebbs and defining of the presidency downward. Yes, lower than Trump's comments about Mexico sending us "rapists" and "criminals." Lower than questioning Sen. John McCain's military service. Lower than his impugning of a judge because of his Mexican heritage. Lower than his questioning the motives of a Gold Star family. Lower than the 2,000 mistruths and outright falsehoods he has said since becoming President. Lower than his racially-tinged attacks on the anthem protests by NFL players. Lower even than his "both sides" argument in the wake of white supremacist violence against peaceful protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

This is not only a President of the United States voicing racist sentiment in front of a group of people. It is also doubling down on those sentiments -- proudly! -- because it might advance his political power among his base.

This is -- much like Charlottesville -- an abdication of the moral authority of the presidency, but it's more than that: It's saying, quite simply, that saying racist stuff is a-OK as long as it works politically.

There are things that are -- or should be -- beyond politics. The most important of those things is the belief that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

It's right there in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. And, "we believe these truths to be self evident" because, well, they are. The progress to a more perfect union hasn't always honored this pledge as it should. But this is 2018. Can't we agree that discriminating against people based on what they look like -- or what country they might come from -- is wrong?

Apparently not, according to President Trump.

Let's not make any mistake here: What was being discussed in the meeting in which Trump called Haiti and El Salvador "shithole countries" was not illegal immigration. This was a proposal to end the visa lottery, which Trump has repeatedly falsely suggested leads to other countries gaming the system to send the US their worst people, and replace it with affording a group of countries Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

"Haiti had sent 15,000 people. They 'all have AIDS,' [Trump] grumbled, according to one person who attended the meeting and another person who was briefed about it by a different person who was there.

Forty thousand had come from Nigeria, Mr. Trump added. Once they had seen the United States, they would never 'go back to their huts' in Africa, recalled the two officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss a sensitive conversation in the Oval Office."

These sorts of noxious views are a feature not a glitch for Donald Trump. Everything in his history as a candidate and as President screams for that conclusion. For every "bill of love" pronouncement Trump makes, there are double-digit times in which he has said things -- publicly and privately -- that any reasonable person would describe as racially tinged at best and flat-out racist at worst.

Let me remind you in case you have forgotten: This is the President of the United States we are talking about. The President of ALL 300 million people -- not just the ones who voted for Trump and who might respond well to his "shithole" comments. The President of a country literally built on the idea of a melting pot of immigrants.

The discussion of whether this will resonate with Trump's base then is deeply cynical and totally misses the point. There need to be things that are right and things that are wrong, things that we can all agree we should do or not do. Whether or not these things have some political resonance with some group of people is immaterial.

We are talking about the President of the United States here! Not some fringe talk radio host? Not some blogger. The single most powerful person in the country. The symbol of the United States to the rest of the world.

Whether or not you voted for Trump, whether or not you still support him, whether or not you think this "shithole" comment will land well with his base, you need to acknowledge that voicing views like these is simply wrong. It is, quite literally, anti-American. Period. Full Stop.</s>Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump's reported derogatory remarks about Haiti and slur against immigrants from "shithole" countries in Africa sent shockwaves around the world, simultaneously becoming a diplomatic issue that could damage America's global image and complicating an immigration reform effort at home.

Shock and outrage greeted Trump's remarks in a meeting with lawmakers on immigration reform on Thursday. Several countries called in US ambassadors for an explanation and to remonstrate with them over the President's language.

Lawmakers expressed disappointment and disgust, with one declaring the comments counter to the very "essence of American patriotism." Even as Trump's comments provided fodder for late night comics, they raised questions about whether he has now made it harder for lawmakers to find a compromise to achieve immigration reform.

Critics in the US and abroad noted that Trump's sentiment cut against the idea of the United States as a nation of immigrants and the foundational view that the content of person's character is more important than their origin or the color of their skin.

Many of those who criticized Trump said his remarks would damage America's global reputation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has maintained a close relationship with Trump while at times being critical, was at the meeting Thursday.

"Following comments by the President, I said my piece directly to him yesterday," Graham said. "The President and all those attending the meeting know what I said and how I feel. I've always believed that America is an idea, not defined by its people but by its ideals."

"The American ideal is embraced by people all over the globe," Graham continued. "It was best said a long time ago, E Pluribus Unum -- Out of Many, One. Diversity has always been our strength, not our weakness. In reforming immigration we cannot lose these American Ideals."

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said in a statement that "respect for the God-given dignity of every human being, no matter their race, ethnicity or other circumstances of their birth, is the essence of American patriotism."

"To believe otherwise is to oppose the very idea of America," he said. "People have come to this country from everywhere, and people from everywhere have made America great. Our immigration policy should reflect that truth, and our elected officials, including our President, should respect it."

A source briefed on the Oval Office meeting Thursday confirmed that during the meeting on immigration legislation, Trump asked, "Why do we want all these people from shithole countries coming here?"

Although the President denied he had used such language on Friday, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who was at the meeting with Graham and others, said Trump did do so, and called his language "vile." Two immigration hard-liners, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue, said they "do not recall the President saying these comments specifically."

Trump on Friday also denied demanding that Haitians be removed from negotiations about protected status for people from certain countries.

"The anniversary of the devastating earthquake 8 years ago is a day to remember the tragedy, honor the resilient people of Haiti, & affirm America's commitment to helping our neighbors," Clinton wrote on Twitter. "Instead, we're subjected to Trump's ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him."

A source familiar with Thursday's meeting said the President did not refer to Haiti as a "shithole" country, though he did say it about countries in Africa.

The source said two different remarks by the president had been conflated.

First, when talking about "temporary protected status" countries as part of the immigration deal, it was mentioned that Salvadorans, Hondurans and Haitians have that status.

"Haitians?" the President said, according to the source. "Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out." Meaning take them out of the deal.

Then, in a separate part of the conversation when they were referencing the diversity visa lottery, Trump referred to people from Africa as coming from "shithole countries."

The African Union, a group representing the continent's 55 countries, issued a blistering statement saying the President had dishonored US values.

"The African Union Mission wishes to express its infuriation, disappointment and outrage over the unfortunate comment made by Mr. Donald Trump, President of the United States of American, which remarks dishonor the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity," the AU mission in Washington said in a statement.

The group demanded "a retraction of the comment as well as an apology, not only to the Africans but to all people of African descent around the globe." Saying they believe the administration has a "huge misunderstanding of the African continent," the union said "there is a serious need for dialogue" between the Trump administration and African countries.

Africans of all stripes took to social media. Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi tweeted, "Africa isn't a shithole. It's the most beautiful continent in the world. Beautiful, hardworking people. We have diamonds, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, cocoa, coffee, tea etc."

"Sadly we have #shithole leaders like Trump shitting on us every day."

Senegal's President, Macky Sall, said in a tweet that he was "shocked by the words of President Trump on Haiti and Africa."

"I reject them and condemn vigorously. Africa and the black race deserve the respect and consideration of all," Sall added.

Botswana's Ministry of International Affairs summoned the US ambassador to complain about Trump's disparaging comments.

"The Bostwana Government has also enquired from the US Government through the Ambassador, to clarify if Botswana is regarded as a 'shithole' country," the statement said.

Comics riffed off the statement, with "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, a South African native, saying, "I don't know how to break this to you, but I think the President might be racist."

But some comics stopped joking. "It really is unfathomable," said Jimmy Kimmel. "You just can't believe this is the guy running our country."

In an interview with NPR, Haiti's ambassador to the US, Paul Altidor, said he was "surprised and disappointed" in Trump's remarks.

"If they are to be true, we hope there will possibly be an apology for what was said here because we thought they were misplaced, they were misguided," Altidor said.

"These type of statements do not help in enforcing the relationship between Haiti and the US."

The ambassador said the Haitian government had summoned the US chargé d'affaires to clarify the remarks.

"Our values as a nation bond us together and define who we are," he said, and "form the foundations of trust" in the workplace.

"America's birth was far from perfect," said Tillerson, recalling the country's troubled past from its founding, through the civil war, the suffrage movement and the civil rights movement, "and we're still not perfect, but we've never lost sight of aspirational values."

A Senior State Department official said US ambassadors had been issued guidance on how to deal with the remarks if called in by foreign ministries to explain them.

The diplomats were encouraged to assure host governments that the "US has great respect for the people of Africa and all nations, and our commitment remains strong."

The official said each envoy should note what an honor it is to be in their post and how much they value the relationship with the people of their host country.</s>Facing strong condemnation at home and abroad, US President Donald Trump on Friday denied using the word “shithole” to describe Haiti and African countries, but kept up criticism of a Senate immigration plan that he said would force the United States to admit people from countries that “are doing badly.” Trump reportedly made the remarks at a White House meeting on immigration on Thursday. US Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who attended the gathering, told reporters on Friday that Trump used “vile, vulgar” language, including repeatedly using the word “shithole” when speaking about African countries.

The Republican president’s comments were decried as racist by African and Haitian politicians, by the United Nations human rights office and by US.lawmakers from both major parties.

 Trump, who has been accused of racism over several issues since he took office a year ago, sought to walk back the comments on Friday, saying on Twitter, “The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used.” Trump also denied saying “anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country.” According to two sources, at Thursday’s meeting Trump questioned why the United States would want to accept immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as “shithole countries.”

While many Republican lawmakers stayed quiet on Trump’s remarks, Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, called them “unfortunate” and “unhelpful,” noting in an interview on CNN that his family had emigrated to the United States from Ireland to help build the nation’s railroads. At an event on Friday at the White House, Trump honored the memory of Martin Luther King Jr, the civil-rights era activist who was slain in 1968. King’s memory is marked with a national holiday, which falls this year on Monday.

Trump stood beside Isaac Newton Farris, King’s nephew, while a group of about 20 African-American supporters and members of his administration were on hand in the Roosevelt Room, including Ben Carson, his Housing and Urban Development secretary. He ignored reporters who shouted questions about his remarks. A group of Republican and Democratic senators has been working for months to craft legislation that would protect 700,000 young adults who were brought into the country illegally as children and later shielded from deportation under a program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Trump also suggested that momentum toward a deal on maintaining such protection had stalled. “The so-called bipartisan DACA deal presented yesterday to myself and a group of Republican Senators and Congressmen was a big step backwards,” he said. The tentative deal also addresses border security, including a border wall, the diversity visa lottery and chain migration, in which U.S. green-card holders can sponsor other family members for permanent residence in the country.

Among other objections, Trump said the plan did not provide proper funding for the proposed wall that he made a center-piece of his election campaign. He added the country “would be forced to take large numbers of people from high crime countries which are doing badly.”

Haiti said it was shocked by Trump’s reported remarks on Thursday and summoned the top U.S. diplomat in the country, asking for an apology if the vulgar term had been used.

El Salvador’s government sent the US a formal letter of protest that said the president had “implicitly” accepted the use of “harsh terms detrimental to the dignity of El Salvador and other countries.”

Botswana also said it had summoned the US ambassador to that country to “express its displeasure” and had asked him whether Botswana “is regarded as a ‘shithole’ country.” Trump’s comments are extremely offensive to South Africa, said Jessie Duarte, a senior official with the ruling African National Congress. “Ours is not a shithole country. Neither is Haiti or any other country in distress,” she said.

In Geneva, UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said “These are shocking and shameful comments from the president of the United States. There is no other word one can use but ‘racist.’ The reported language was the latest in a long string of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim comments by Trump that have been condemned as racist. He also blamed “both sides” after a white supremacist rally in August in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned violent and a woman protesting against the rally was killed.

Durbin said that despite Trump’s rejection of the bipartisan deal he would introduce it as legislation next week and work on getting Democratic and Republican support for passage. “We have seven days and the clock is ticking. Our bipartisan group continues to build support for the only deal in town,” Durbin said in a statement on Friday. He was referring to January 19, when funds for operating federal agencies expires. Durbin and other lawmakers want the immigration measure to be attached to a must-do bill to fund the government beyond that date.

In recent days, a group of Republican and Democratic leaders from the House and Senate have met with the stated goal of crafting an alternative to the Senate bipartisan deal. But there was no indication that those four leaders were planning to meet over the long Martin Luther King Day federal holiday weekend or when they might produce legislation.</s>Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump's blast at immigrants from "shithole" countries was a bombshell -- but no one who has watched his political career could be surprised.

Trump has shown little respect for traditional behavior or concern about the horror that erupted when people he would describe as elites learned about his words in a Washington Post report

Yet the remark still has the power to shock because it upends conventional expectations about the dignity of the presidency itself and the mystique that frames the chief executive as the upholder of national morality and diversity.

It also appears to run counter to the idea that traditional presidents repeatedly invoke: that the American dream does not discriminate on the basis of race or origin but hinges on an individual's character, industry and willingness to embrace a set of national values traced to the enlightenment.

"I think we all collectively should be a little bit frightened. That is the President of the United States, and he is not appealing to the better angels of our nature or our nation's values," former CIA and National Security Agency chief Michael Hayden told CNN's Erin Burnett.

CNN political analyst David Gergen said Trump's message was "if you are not white, you are not welcome. We have never had that message before."

Perhaps sensing the political ramifications of his explosive remark, Trump denied Friday morning that he made the comment, saying that although his language at the meeting was tough, "this was not the language used."

Despite the denial, Trump's reported remark is hardly a departure, since the comment, in a meeting Thursday with lawmakers debating a Capitol Hill immigration bill, comes from racist rhetoric and imagery fundamental to his political project from the start.

Little respect for tradition

Such episodes revive the debate about the President's temperament and coherence, which the White House has been trying to squelch in the wake of a stunning fly-on-the-wall book written by Michael Wolff.

At one point, in the Journal interview, Trump appeared to indicate that he had already had spoken to Kim Jong Un, saying he "probably" had a good relationship with the North Korean leader, and he accused an FBI agent, who was dismissed from Robert Mueller's Russia probe for attacking him in a text message, of treason.

In fact, the wild day at the White House showing the impulsive and prejudiced sides of his character probably more accurately reflects who Trump really is than the staged, reality show-style meeting on immigration he convened Tuesday.

Proof lies in the fact that the White House did not react to Trump's "shithole" comments with panic or any sense that he had detonated a damaging gaffe that could cause him lasting political damage.

A White House statement by spokesman Raj Shah read more like a defense and a justification of the President's comment, portraying it as the sentiments of a man who was fighting for the Americans who are already here.

"Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people," Shah said. "The President will only accept an immigration deal that adequately addresses the visa lottery system and chain migration -- two programs that hurt our economy and allow terrorists into our country."

Another White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to CNN's Kaitlan Collins, was even less apologetic, saying his sentiments would likely help Trump with his loyal voting base, much like his attacks on NFL players who took a knee to protest police brutality and racial discrimination earlier this season.

By now it's clear that Trump uses ethnic nationalism and racist rhetoric as a political tool, and that he is playing into a well of prejudice he sees among the grass roots against immigrants with dark skin.

When he launched his presidential campaign, he referred to Mexicans as "rapists," and last year he said there were good people on "both sides" of clashes between neo-Nazis and protesters in Charlottesville.

He was reported as saying by The New York Times in December that all Haitians have AIDS and Nigerians live in "huts." His comment Thursday that he wanted to welcome more Norwegian -- i.e. white -- immigrants was along the same lines.

Outrage spilled quickly

JUST WATCHED Haitian-American congresswoman reacts to Trump Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Haitian-American congresswoman reacts to Trump 00:55

A cynic might argue that the President, who may be on the verge of doing a deal with Democrats to permit hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children to stay, finds himself at a political moment when he needs to protect his populist credibility with his voters.

Outrage spilled quickly across party lines Thursday as Washington learned about Trump's remarks.

Republican Rep. Mia Love of Utah, the first Haitian American elected to Congress, said the comments were "unkind, divisive, elitist and fly in the face of our nation's values" and called on the President to "apologize to both the American people and the nations he so wantonly maligned."

Democratic Rep. Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois said he was ashamed of Trump: "We can now say with 100% confidence that the President is a racist who does not share the values enshrined in our Constitution or Declaration of Independence."'

Whenever Trump triggers outrage, and crashes through the behavioral constraints and decorum of the presidency, there is a sense that he has hit a low, or has gone too far and will finally pay a sharp political price.

But one advantage of basing his presidency on a narrow political base rather than reaching out in an effort to unify the nation is that the wounds he can inflict to his own standing are limited.

Trump's willingness to use politically incorrect language and slurs was key to his appeal to a certain section of the electorate in 2016, and those voters are unlikely to change their views over his remarks on immigrants.

But while Trump's base will remain robust, Thursday's developments will provoke new questions about the state of his mood, and whether he possess the character, knowledge and leadership skills expected of a president.

One White House official expressed surprise to CNN's Jim Acosta that the President would make such a remark in a meeting with lawmakers, given that it was likely to get out.

His comments on North Korea also mystified Washington -- since if he had spoken to Kim, it would mark the first time a sitting US president had ever talked to a North Korean leader.

"I probably have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea," Trump said. "I have relationships with people, I think you people are surprised."

Asked by a Wall Street Journal reporter to clarify whether he had spoken with Kim, he replied: "I don't want to comment, I'm not saying I have or I haven't."</s>JOHANNESBURG – Africans woke up on Friday to find President Donald Trump had finally taken an interest in their continent. It wasn’t what people had hoped for.

Using vulgar language, Trump on Thursday questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and “shithole countries” in Africa rather than places like Norway in rejecting a bipartisan immigration deal.

The African Union continental body told The Associated Press it was “frankly alarmed” by Trump’s comments.

“Given the historical reality of how many Africans arrived in the United States as slaves, this statement flies in the face of all accepted behaviour and practice,” AU spokeswoman Ebba Kalondo said. “This is particularly surprising as the United States of America remains a global example of how migration gave birth to a nation built on strong values of diversity and opportunity.”

READ MORE: Anderson Cooper’s passionate defence of Haitians against Trump’s ‘shithole’ remark

African governments quickly found themselves in an awkward position. As top recipients of U.S. aid, some hesitated to jeopardize it by criticizing Trump, especially as his administration has sought to slash foreign assistance.

“Unless it was specifically said about South Sudan, we have nothing to say,” South Sudan government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told The Associated Press.

But South Africa’s ruling African National Congress called Trump’s comments “extremely offensive.” Deputy secretary general Jesse Duarte said developing countries do have difficulties but the United States itself has millions of people out of work or without health care, and “we would not deign to make comments as derogatory.”

South African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane called Trump’s comments “abhorrent … The hatred of Obama’s roots now extends to an entire continent.”

African media outlets and the continent’s young, increasingly connected population were not being shy.

READ MORE: Trump says some immigrants are from ‘shithole’ countries, rejects immigration deal: reports

“Well, that is the perfect definition of racism. That is all I have to say,” Kenyan entrepreneur Wangui Muraguri told the AP in his Nairobi office.

“Casual Friday at the White House is soon to include hoods and tiki torches at this rate,” South African media outlet Daily Maverick wrote.

Many on the world’s second most populous continent reached for their smartphones, long-practiced in defending the vast and varied region from easy stereotypes. While 40 per cent of the world’s poor live in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund, the region also has billionaires, reality shows and a growing middle class.

Some quickly decided to own Trump’s vulgar language or throw it back in his face.

VIDEO: Anderson Cooper gives emotional message about Haiti in response to Trump’s comments

“Good morning from the greatest most beautiful ‘shithole country’ in the world!!!” South African Broadcasting Corporation anchor Leanne Manas tweeted.

“As someone from South Shithole, Trevor is deeply offended by the president’s remarks,” The Daily Show tweeted of its South African-born host, Trevor Noah.

READ MORE: Trump remarked that Haitian immigrants in the U.S. ‘all have AIDS’: report

In Kenya, East Africa’s economic hub, political activist Boniface Mwangi pleaded: “Please don’t confuse the #shithole leaders we Africans elect with our beautiful continent.”

Trump’s comments highlighted months of concerns about his lack of focus on Africa, including empty ambassadorial posts in key countries like South Africa, Egypt, Congo and Somalia. A list maintained by the Washington-based American Foreign Service Association says eight such posts are vacant.

Trump has expressed negative opinions about the continent in the past. “Every penny of the $7 billion going to Africa as per Obama will be stolen – corruption is rampant!” he tweeted in 2013.

The U.S. president is hurting himself both at home and abroad with his latest comments, some Africans said.

“He has not only insulted Africans, he has also insulted African-Americans,” said Sylvester Odion Akhaine, associate professor of international relations at the Lagos State University in Nigeria. “Internationally, such language will deepen the isolation of the United States, a country that is already losing its global prestige.”

Associated Press writers Elias Meseret in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Sam Mednick in Juba, South Sudan; Joe Mwihia in Nairobi, Kenya and Sam Olukoya in Lagos, Nigeria contributed.</s>It’s hard to Imagine anything more vile and racist than Trump’s “shithole countries” remark. It’s also hard to imagine the president of the United States as anything less than a phony. This is the man who said at a bipartisan meeting on immigration policies:

"I think my positions are going to be what the people in this room come up with. I am very much reliant on the people in this room. I know most of the people on both sides. I have a lot of respect for the people on both sides.

"And … what I approve is going to be very much reliant on what the people in this room come to me with. I have great confidence in the people. If they come to me with things that I’m not in love with, I’m going to do it because I respect them.”

Does anyone think someone at the meeting proposed excluding immigrants from “shithole countries?” Does anyone think the reason for the meeting was anything other than to defend Trump’s reputation after the publication of Michael Wolff's book? (It was more than naive for Democrats to attend a televised meeting with this man; it was foolhardy. But that’s an issue for another time.)

We remember the “pussy-grabbing” remark; we’ve read about the “shithole countries." How about a third leg of the triangle? Speaking at a town hall meeting Wednesday, Chuck Jones, the former president of United Steelworkers 1999, said a few things that were reported in the HuffPost Thursday about the jobs Trump claimed to save at the Carrier Corporation, a heating and air-conditioning company in Indiana.

This is a president who lives in a make-believe world, a president who can say in a Twitter post, “I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians,” and can say it one day after the “shithole” remark was reported.

And finally, there is this. We’re sometimes uncomfortable seeing the word “shit” (and particularly when it’s used to describe “shithole countries"). But maybe it’s just a matter of context. How many people would blanche, for example, at reading about the “shitshow” that currently passes for leadership at the White House?</s>President Donald Trump on Thursday reportedly asked members of Congress, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” The question came after Trump grew frustrated with lawmakers who suggested restoring protections from deportation that Trump had previously revoked for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, and parts of Africa, the Washington Post reports. According to the Post, Trump’s comments referred specifically to African countries and Haiti.

Trump followed up by telling the bipartisan group of lawmakers that “we should have more people from places like Norway,” according to NBC News. The network added that the president asked, “Why do we want people from Haiti here?”

Trump’s outburst comes just weeks after the New York Times reported he complained that people coming from Haiti “all have AIDS” and that Nigerians would refuse to “go back to their huts” in Africa once they’d seen the United States.

The Post reported that the White House wouldn’t immediately comment on Trump’s “shithole” statement, though an administration spokesman did release a statement on the negotiations with lawmakers.

The White House previously denied that Trump used the words “huts” or “AIDS” in relation to Haitians and Nigerians.</s>President Donald Trump has questioned why the US should allow more immigrants from 's***hole countries' during a meeting with legislators about a proposed bipartisan deal on immigration.

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump says while he used “tough language” in an immigration meeting he has denied using the term “s**thole countries”.

In an early morning tweet, Mr Trump said what was really “tough” was the “outlandish proposal” put forward at that meeting with regards to 800,000 undocumented youth under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as 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!” he tweeted.

“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 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 because of the Democrats not being interested in life and safety, DACA has now taken a big step backwards. The Dems will threaten “shutdown,” but what they are really doing is shutting down our military, at a time we need it most. Get smart, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

However, Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, who was at the meeting, said Mr Trump “said these hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly.”

“You’ve seen the comments in the press,” Sen. Durbin said. “I’ve not seen one of them that’s inaccurate. To no surprise, the president started tweeting this morning, denying that he used those words. It is not true. He said these hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly.”

“I cannot believe in this history of the White House, in that Oval Office, any president has ever spoken the words that I personally heard our president speak yesterday,” he said.

Republican senators Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton and Bob Goodlatte were also present in the meeting. The Washington Post said the were “surprised” by Mr Trump’s comments. None of them has spoken publicly about what Mr Trump in fact said.

His comments came as the United Nations labelled the comments “racist” and xenophobic.

Mr Trump on Thursday reportedly questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as “shithole countries,” according to two sources familiar with the comments made in the White House.

“These are shocking and shameful comments from the President of the United States. There is no other word one can use but ‘racist’,” UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a Geneva news briefing when asked about the comments.

“You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as ‘shitholes’, whose entire populations, who are not white, are therefore not welcome,” he added.

The issue was more than “vulgar language”, Mr Colville said.

“It’s about opening the door to humanity’s worst side, about validating and encouraging racism and xenophobia that will potentially disrupt and destroy lives of many people.”

Mr Trump had also failed to clearly condemn the “anti-Semitic and racist actions of white supremacists in Charlottesville” at a rally in Virginia last August, Mr Colville said.

The program that was being discussed at the White House is called Temporary Protected Status.

In November, the Trump administration decided to end the status for immigrants from Haiti and Nicaragua.

It gave the approximately 59,000 Haitian immigrants who had been granted the status until July 2019 to return home or legalise their presence in the United States.

Nicaraguans were given until January 2019.

“The future of the Dreamers should not be used as a bargaining chip to negotiate the most severe and restrictive immigration and security measures possible. These are human beings, not commodities,” Mr Colville said.

“Dreamers” is term used for undocumented immigrants who were brought into the United States as children.

Meanwhile, Haiti’s government said it “vehemently condemns” Mr Trump’s comments referring to their country as a “s**thole” and requested to speak to a US official about the incident.

The country’s Ambassador to the United States said Trump was either “misinformed or he is miseducated” and they summoned a US representative to explain the remarks to Haitian officials.

“Haitians fought along US soldiers in the Revolutionary War and we continue to be great contributors to American society,” the ambassador, Paul Altidor, told MSNBC.

Mr Altidor added that he believed the inflammatory comments made by Trump were “based on stereotypes.”

“Either the president has been misinformed or he is miseducated,” Altidor said.

The former prime minister of Haiti also blasted Trump’s remarks as “a new low” in a tweet Thursday night.

“SHAME ON TRUMP! The world is witnessing a new low today with this #ShitholeNations remark!” the ex-leader, Laurent Lamothe, wrote.

“Totally unacceptable! uncalled for moreover it shows a lack a respect and IGNORANCE never seen before in the recent history of the US by any President! Enough is enough!!”</s>WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump's reported description of African nations, El Salvador and Haiti as "shithole" countries has focused attention on previous remarks, which have ignited accusations of racism.

The following is a list of some of his most racially charged policy stances and comments:

Trump earned national political prominence by promoting the falsehood that Barack Obama, America's first African-American president, was not born in the United States.

As a leader of the so-called "birther" movement, Trump repeatedly cast doubt on whether Obama was a natural-born US citizen - and therefore qualified to be president.

Trump grudgingly acknowledged late in his 2016 presidential campaign that Obama was born in the United States.

"President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Period," he said, before refusing to answer questions from reporters.

Announcing his candidacy for president at Trump Tower in June 2015, Trump made derogatory statements about immigrants from Mexico.

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," he said. "They're sending people that have lots of problems ... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people."

Trump has repeatedly raised questions about the loyalty of Muslim immigrants to the United States claiming, falsely, that Muslims in New Jersey celebrated publicly after the Sep 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

Responding to a December 2015 terror attack in San Bernardino, California, he proposed a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on."

One of his first moves upon taking office was a bid to restrict immigration from a number of Muslim-majority nations, a move which has been tangled up in the courts but which, for the moment, is partially in effect.

Trump argued in June 2016 that the Mexican heritage of a US federal judge should disqualify him from presiding over a fraud lawsuit involving Trump University.

"He's a Mexican," Trump said of district court judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born and raised in the United States. "We're building a wall between here and Mexico.

"I have a Mexican judge. He's of Mexican heritage. He should have recused himself, not only for that, for other things," Trump said.

Trump came under fire in August 2017 for failing to forcefully condemn a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which resulted in clashes and the death of a counter-protester.

"I think there is blame on both sides," Trump said.

"You also had people that were very fine people on both sides ... Not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were white supremacists by any stretch."

Trump has opposed efforts to remove monuments to leaders and generals of the pro-slavery Civil War South from public parks.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," Trump tweeted.

"They're trying to take away our culture. They're trying to take away our history," he told a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, in August 2017.

Trump has called for owners of American football teams to fire players who kneel during the pre-game playing of the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired!" Trump told a rally in Alabama in September 2017.

The players taking part in the protests have been mostly African-Americans.

Trump reportedly described African nations, Haiti and El Salvador as "shithole" countries during a White House meeting on immigration and asked why the US could not have more immigrants from a country such as Norway, which is overwhelming wealthy and white.

Trump denied using the term, but Democratic Senator Dick Durbin - who attended the meeting - said the president used it "repeatedly."

According to The New York Times, Trump said in June of last year that Haitian immigrants "all have AIDS" and that Nigerians would not "go back to their huts" once they reach the United States. The White House denied those comments.</s>President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as "shithole countries," according to two sources familiar with the comments.

Trump's remarks, made in the White House, came as Democratic Senator Dick Durbin and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham briefed the president on a newly drafted immigration bill being touted by a bipartisan group of senators, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified.

Other government officials were present during the conversation, the sources said.

The lawmakers were describing how certain immigration programs operate, including one to give safe haven in the United States to people from countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.

One of the sources who was briefed on the conversation said that Trump said, "Why do we want all these people from Africa here? They're shithole countries ... We should have more people from Norway."

The second source familiar with the conversation, said Trump, who has vowed to clamp down on illegal immigration, also questioned the need for Haitians in the United States.

Many Democrats and some Republican lawmakers slammed the president for his remarks.

Republican U.S. Representative Mia Love, a daughter of Haitian immigrants, said the comments were "unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nation's values" and called on Trump to apologize to the American people and to the countries he denigrated.

Another Republican Representative, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Cuba and whose south Florida district includes many Haitian immigrants, said: "Language like that shouldn't be heard in locker rooms and it shouldn't be heard in the White House."

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a frequent Trump critic, said the president's comment "smacks of blatant racism, the most odious and insidious racism masquerading poorly as immigration policy."

The program that was being discussed at the White House is called Temporary Protected Status.

In November, the Trump administration decided to end the status for immigrants from Haiti and Nicaragua. It gave the approximately 59,000 Haitian immigrants who had been granted the status until July 2019 to return home or legalize their presence in the United States. Nicaraguans were given until January 2019.

This week, Trump moved to end the status for immigrants from El Salvador, which could result in 200,000 Salvadorans legally in the United States being deported beginning in September of next year.

The bipartisan Senate plan would attempt to maintain TPS in return for ending or changing a "diversity" lottery program that has been aimed at allowing up to 50,000 people a year from countries with few emigres to the United States.

Asked about Trump's comments, White House spokesman Raj Shah said: "Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people."

"Like other nations that have merit-based immigration, President Trump is fighting for permanent solutions that make our country stronger by welcoming those who can contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation," Shah said.

Another source familiar with the meeting said Trump was questioning why the United States should take in unskilled laborers from the countries under discussion and should instead welcome immigrants from nations that can offer skilled workers.
U.S. President Donald Trump refers to Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as "shithole countries" in a private meeting.