President Donald Trump on Tuesday denigrated immigrants from “shithole countries.” reviving the comment he used during his first term as president, which drew criticism.
During a rally in Pennsylvania according to availability, Trump praised his administration's decision suspend immigration from dozens of countriesincluding Somalia.
“I have also announced a permanent pause on migration from third world countries, including hellish places like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries,” he said. Then, reflecting on his 2018 meeting with senators during which he called some countries “shithole countries,” Trump said, “Remember when I told the senators that?”
He said: “Our country has gone to hell. And we had a meeting and I said, “Why do we only take people from damn countries, right?” Why can't we have a few people from Norway, Sweden, at least a few people? Let's talk a little about Denmark. Do you mind sending us a few people? Do you mind?
Trump specifically pointed to immigrants from Somalia, questioning why the United States has so many immigrants from the African country and so few immigrants from European countries.
“We always take people from Somalia, places where there is a disaster, right?” the president told the audience in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. “Dirty, dirty, disgusting, crime-filled. The only thing they're good at is hunting ships.”
White House press secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement: “President Trump is right. Foreigners who come to our country complaining about how much they hate America, don't contribute to our economy and refuse to assimilate into our society should not be here.”
Trump faced backlash for using the term.”shitty countries” during a meeting in 2018. The president then denied using the term. speaking that he used “harsh” language, but that “it was not the right language.”
The president was reportedly referring to Haiti and some African countries during the incident, leading Botswana leaders to denounce the remarks as “reprehensible and racist.”
Trump for over a week now humiliated Somali immigrants, especially in Minnesota.
Minnesota is now a “hell hole. The Somalis need to get out of here. They destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain,” he said. told reporters in the Oval Office last week.
Federal agents began conducting immigration operations in Minneapolis last week, and while one administration official told NBC News that ICE is not specifically targeting Somali immigrants, Trump's comments had a cooling effect.
The president also targeted Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., among others. Omar immigrated to the United States when she was 12 years old after fleeing civil war in Somalia.
At a rally Tuesday night, the president called the congresswoman's hijab a “turban” and encouraged the crowd to chant “send her back.”
“I love her with a little shoe and a little turban. She comes and does nothing but be a bitch. She always complains,” he said.
IN post on X Referring to the president's comments on Tuesday, Omar wrote: “Trump's obsession with me is beyond bizarre. He needs serious help. Since he has no economic policies to tout, he resorts instead to spewing bigoted lies. He continues to bring shame to the entire country.”
