Franklin Graham: Trump ‘beaten up’ for something ‘he says he didn’t say’

Evangelist Franklin Graham on Wednesday defended President Trump amid a controversy over remarks the president reportedly made in which he referred to some nations as “shithole countries.”

“President Donald J. Trump has been beaten up for saying something that he says he didn’t say. Some others in the meeting have confirmed that he didn’t say what was alleged,” Graham, who is the son of famed televangelist Billy Graham, said on Facebook. 

“I don’t know—I wasn’t in the meeting, it was private. I certainly don’t condone vulgarity, whether it’s from Republicans or Democrats or anyone else,” he continued. 

The Washington Post first reported the president had referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries” and said the U.S. should instead take in more people from countries like Norway. Trump has since denied making the remarks.

Graham is not the only evangelical to defend Trump.

Southern Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress defended the remarks last week, saying, “Apart from the vocabulary attributed to him, President Trump is right on target in his sentiment.”

Evangelical Pastor Mark Burns invoked the Trump administration’s “America First” agenda while defending Trump’s comments, saying “black people in America are suffering.”