President Trump
Donald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for ‘serious case of amnesia’ after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don’t want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE told lawmakers that he didn’t care about the demands of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) during a tense meeting on immigration last week, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Trump reportedly dismissed Sen. Dick Durbin
Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinDemocrats turn on Al Franken Minnesota's largest newspaper calls on Franken to resign Democratic senator predicts Franken will resign Thursday MORE (D-Ill.) when he suggested that Trump consider the CBC’s demands, and that those lawmakers would be more amendable to an agreement if certain countries were given immigration protections.
“You’ve got to be joking,” one adviser said to describe Trump’s reaction.
Trump made the comments about the CBC during the same infamous meeting that he allegedly referred to El Salvador, Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries.”
The president has faced intense backlash for those comments since they were reported on Thursday.
The White House did not initially deny the remarks, but Trump pushed back against the report on Twitter on Friday and again on Monday.
Durbin confirmed that Trump had made the remarks, but GOP Sens. David Perdue (Ga.) and Tom Cotton
Tom CottonGOP and Dems bitterly divided by immigration Grassley offers DACA fix tied to tough enforcement measures Five things senators should ask Tom Cotton if he’s nominated to lead the CIA MORE (Ark.) have said Trump didn’t make the comments after initially saying they didn’t recall if he had.
Trump has faced accusations of racism over the comments, but told reporters that he is “not a racist” on Sunday.
“I’m the least racist person you’ll ever interview,” he said.