GOP rep warns of ‘consequences’ for US standing in Africa after ‘s—hole’ remark
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) on Monday warned of consequences following President Trump reportedly referring to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries.”
“I wasn’t in the meeting, so I don’t know exactly what was said,” Dent, who last year announced he would not seek reelection, said on CNN’s “New Day.”
“But if it’s true, as was reported by Sen. [Dick] Durbin [D-Ill.] and then confirmed by Sen. [Lindsey] Graham [R-S.C.], the comments, obviously, have to be denounced.”
{mosads}Dent added that he’s had the opportunity to visit sub-Saharan Africa.
“And one thing I’ve noticed is the people of sub-Saharan Africa have a high regard for the United States of America, because of the things we’ve done there, whether it’s on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or any number of other issues,” he said.
“We’re well-regarded, and this incident, I think, is going to have some consequences for us, at least in the short-term,” Dent said.
Trump reportedly referred to Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries” during an immigration meeting last week at the White House.
He has faced widespread backlash for the comments.
Trump claimed Friday on Twitter he “never said anything derogatory about Haitians.”
Trump on Sunday also pushed back on claims he is a racist.
“No. I’m not a racist. I’m the least racist person you will ever interview,” Trump told reporters while entering Trump International Golf Course, according to a White House pool report.
Dent on Monday cited previous comments made by Trump, saying they made the reported ones “even more alarming.”
“If it had not been for the fact that the president had previously made statements about Mexicans and Muslims and his failure to denounce David Duke in a timely matter, and of course the Charlottesville situation,” he said, referring to a deadly white nationalist rally last year in Charlottesville, Va.
“Those previous incidents, I think, are also cause for concern that have made this situation even more alarming.”