The President has drawn sharp criticism since he was reported to have called African countries “shitholes” while discussing immigration with lawmakers Thursday. After several days of controversy over his remarks, Trump has denied that he is racist.
Donald Trump defended himself on Sunday in the wake of recent disparaging comments about Haiti and African nations, declaring, “I am not a racist. I’m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.” It is the first time the president has responded directly to the racism accusations.
Mr Trump reportedly used the term last week during a bipartisan Oval Office meeting on immigration reform. Reports later emerged in US media that Mr Trump had asked during the meeting: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”
Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.
As the controversy over the president’s vulgar remarks about African countries, Haiti and El Salvador continued to rage, it was clear that the dispute now threatens a bipartisan effort to find a solution to the crisis over about 800,000 young migrants who are protected from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or Daca.
Trump said he is “ready and willing to make a deal” on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, but he doesn’t believe Democrats want to reach an agreement.
“They don’t want security at the border,” Trump said. “We have people pouring in. They don’t want security at the border. They don’t want to stop drugs, and they want to take money away from our military, which we cannot do. So those are some of the sticking points.”
>Juthy Saha