• Haiti President Jovenel Moise's government denounced what it called President Donald Trump's "racist" view of Haitian and African immigrants. Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery, STR / Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery, STR
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Haiti President Jovenel Moise's government denounced what it called President Donald Trump's "racist" view of Haitian and African immigrants.
Haiti President Jovenel Moise's government denounced what it called President Donald Trump's "racist" view of Haitian and African immigrants.
Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery, STR
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Kang Sung-hoon of South Korea lines up his putt on the 7th hole during the four-ball matches of the 2018 EurAsia Cup golf tournament at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Malaysia, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Sadiq Asyraf) less
Kang Sung-hoon of South Korea lines up his putt on the 7th hole during the four-ball matches of the 2018 EurAsia Cup golf tournament at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Malaysia, Friday, Jan. 12, ... more
Photo: Sadiq Asyraf, STR
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Pedestrians shop in a roadside market in Lagos, Nigeria, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Africans were shocked on Friday to find President Donald Trump had finally taken an interest in their continent. But 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. On Friday he denied using that language. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) less
Pedestrians shop in a roadside market in Lagos, Nigeria, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Africans were shocked on Friday to find President Donald Trump had finally taken an interest in their continent. But it wasn't ... more
Photo: Sunday Alamba, STF
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National police officers raise a Haitian national flag during a memorial service honoring the victims of the 2010 earthquake, at Titanyen, a mass burial site north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Haitians reacted with outrage Friday to reports that President Donald Trump used a vulgar remark to describe the country on the eve of the anniversary of the 2010 earthquake, one of the deadliest disasters in modern history. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) less
National police officers raise a Haitian national flag during a memorial service honoring the victims of the 2010 earthquake, at Titanyen, a mass burial site north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Jan. 12, ... more
Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery, STR
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Matthew Fitzpatrick of England tees off on the 17th hole during the four-ball matches of the 2018 EurAsia Cup golf tournament at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Malaysia, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Sadiq Asyraf) less
Matthew Fitzpatrick of England tees off on the 17th hole during the four-ball matches of the 2018 EurAsia Cup golf tournament at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Malaysia, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. ... more
Photo: Sadiq Asyraf, STR
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A woman sells fish on a street in Lagos, Nigeria, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Africans were shocked on Friday to find President Donald Trump had finally taken an interest in their continent. But 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. On Friday he denied using that language. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) less
A woman sells fish on a street in Lagos, Nigeria, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Africans were shocked on Friday to find President Donald Trump had finally taken an interest in their continent. But it wasn't what ... more
Photo: Sunday Alamba, STF
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WASHINGTON - American diplomats scrambled Friday to salvage their nation's bonds with Africa, Haiti and even the celebrated "special relationship" with Britain after President Donald Trump, in the span of a few hours, deeply offended much of the world with the most undiplomatic of remarks.

Trump's description of African nations as a "shithole" and other inflammatory comments became the latest and perhaps most direct test of whether America's global partnership can withstand its president's loose lips. In Washington and far-flung foreign capitals, U.S. officials launched into urgent cleanup mode.

As world leaders denounced the comments as racist, Trump's ambassadors to Botswana and Senegal were both summoned to explain his remark, as was the top U.S. diplomat in Haiti, where there is no ambassador, State Department officials said.

In addition to the Africa slur, Trump during a meeting Thursday with lawmakers questioned why the U.S. would need more Haitian immigrants.

President Jovenel Moise's government issued a strongly worded statement denouncing what it called a "racist" view of Haitian immigrants and people from African countries.

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U.S. ambassador to Panama quits

The U.S. ambassador to Panama resigned Friday, saying that he could no longer "faithfully" serve the president.

Notice of John Feeley's resignation came a day after Trump referred to Caribbean and African nations as "shithole countries."

Feeley's resignation marks the end of a 35-year career in public service as a Marine and diplomat.

New York Daily News

"The Haitian government condemns in the strongest terms these abhorrent and obnoxious remarks which, if proven, reflect a totally erroneous and racist view of the Haitian community and its contribution to the United States," it said.

The White House, too, was reeling from the fallout. Staffers fanned out to do television appearances in support of Trump and reached out to Republicans on Capitol Hill to coordinate damage control.

Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein, in charge of U.S. public diplomacy, said Trump has the right to "make whatever remark he chooses," calling it the benefit of being president. He said Trump's comments notwithstanding, it was diplomats' obligation to send the message to other countries that the United States cares "greatly about the people that are there."

"Will they have to work extra hard to send it today? Yes, they will, but that's OK," Goldstein said. "That's part of the responsibility that they have. It doesn't change what we do."

State Department officials said they were advising diplomats to prepare to get an earful and to focus on listening to and acknowledging those countries' concerns.

Rather than try to interpret or soften Trump's remarks, diplomats were encouraged to focus on specific areas where the two countries are cooperating - trade, for example - and to emphasize that those tangible aspects of the relationship transcend anything the president did or didn't say, said the officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

"I think you just have to take it. It's almost impossible for diplomats to say something that would make an African government feel better," said Grant Harris, who ran Africa policy at the White House under former President Barack Obama. "So you say the U.S. government is committed to being a strong partner and that actions speak louder than words.

"The problem is, for many other administrations, the actions spoke more loudly," Harris added.