MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Republicans and Democrats alike are condemning racially-charged comments President Donald Trump made about immigrants Thursday during a bipartisan meeting to discuss a plan to provide protection to DACA recipients.
The president reportedly said, "Why are we having all these people from s***hole countries come here?"
A source tells CBS News Trump was referring to immigrants from Africa, Haiti and El Salvador.
At an event Friday to honor Martin Luther King Jr., the president ignored reporters' questions on the comment.
Reaction has poured in from Congress and legislators in Minnesota, and all are condemning the comments.
Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American state representative, used the hashtag "#RacistInChief." The Democrat tweeted she is not ashamed of the country where she was born.
"But make no mistake, I am ashamed, disturbed, and outraged that the leader of the United States can't see beyond his own embarrassing privilege to embrace the diversity that has made this country great for generations."
Members of President Trump's own party expressed outrage on social media. Republican U.S. Representative Erik Paulsen tweeted, "It is completely inappropriate for the President to refer to other countries in the manner in which he reportedly did." He also said he hopes the White House apologizes.
Democratic Representative Tim Walz said, "This is racism, plain and simple, and we need to call it that. My Republican colleagues need to call it that too."
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar called the comment disrespectful. The Democrat says she has helped Minnesota families adopt children from Haiti.
"For them I can't even imagine what this is like to hear this language," Klobuchar said. "I'm not surprised these ambassadors have resigned, and it also hurts our image across the world when we talk like that."
The junior Minnesota U.S. Senator Tina Smith also weighed in.
"I think that the president's hateful and divisive rhetoric ought to be condemned," Smith said. "I think everybody ought to condemn it."
In a series of tweets Friday morning, Trump denied the profane comments.
Minn. Politicans Speak Out After Trump's 'S***hole' Comments
/ CBS Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Republicans and Democrats alike are condemning racially-charged comments President Donald Trump made about immigrants Thursday during a bipartisan meeting to discuss a plan to provide protection to DACA recipients.
The president reportedly said, "Why are we having all these people from s***hole countries come here?"
A source tells CBS News Trump was referring to immigrants from Africa, Haiti and El Salvador.
At an event Friday to honor Martin Luther King Jr., the president ignored reporters' questions on the comment.
Reaction has poured in from Congress and legislators in Minnesota, and all are condemning the comments.
Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American state representative, used the hashtag "#RacistInChief." The Democrat tweeted she is not ashamed of the country where she was born.
"But make no mistake, I am ashamed, disturbed, and outraged that the leader of the United States can't see beyond his own embarrassing privilege to embrace the diversity that has made this country great for generations."
Members of President Trump's own party expressed outrage on social media. Republican U.S. Representative Erik Paulsen tweeted, "It is completely inappropriate for the President to refer to other countries in the manner in which he reportedly did." He also said he hopes the White House apologizes.
Democratic Representative Tim Walz said, "This is racism, plain and simple, and we need to call it that. My Republican colleagues need to call it that too."
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar called the comment disrespectful. The Democrat says she has helped Minnesota families adopt children from Haiti.
"For them I can't even imagine what this is like to hear this language," Klobuchar said. "I'm not surprised these ambassadors have resigned, and it also hurts our image across the world when we talk like that."
The junior Minnesota U.S. Senator Tina Smith also weighed in.
"I think that the president's hateful and divisive rhetoric ought to be condemned," Smith said. "I think everybody ought to condemn it."
In a series of tweets Friday morning, Trump denied the profane comments.
In:- Ilhan Omar
- Tim Walz
- Donald Trump
- Amy Klobuchar
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