Botswana Expresses Displeasure at the "Highly Irresponsible and Racist" Comments by Trump

Lawmakers from the GOP and Democrats visited Donald Trump on Thursday to propose a bipartisan immigration protecting African countries, Haiti and El Salvador and the U.S. President asked, "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" He then suggested that the U.S. bring more people from countries like Norway. 

Trump further went for Haiti in particular asking, "Why do we need more Haitians?" before adding, "Take them out."

Denial

He is however denying ever saying "anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country". Fox News host Jesse Watters has defended Trump arguing, "This is how the forgotten men and women of America talk at the bar," and "If you're at a bar, and you're in Wisconsin, and you think they're bringing in a bunch of Haiti people, or El Salvadorians, or people from Niger, this is how some people talk." The White House also issued a statement which interestingly did not deny Trump used the term "shithole" in reference to African countries, Haiti and El Salvador but instead attacked "certain Washington politicians" who choose to fight for foreign countries.

A History of Racist Comments on Immigrants

The very vile and racist statements, if true, are not at all surprising as The New York Times has a report that Trump, last year, said if immigrants from Nigeria were allowed into the United States, they would never "go back to their huts". In the same meeting he is said to have alleged that all Haitian immigrants had AIDS.

International Response

Meanwhile, Botswana has summoned US ambassador to express displeasure at the "highly irresponsible, reprehensible and racist" comments by Trump. The UN Human Rights spokesman, Rupert Colville also said the comments were nothing but racist, shocking and shameful. The U.S. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said Trump was falling "deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of racism and xenophobia".

Image Header Credit: Forbes