GOP rep: White House should apologize for Trump’s ‘degrading’ comments

Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen (Minn.) slammed President Trump on Thursday for his reported remark referring to Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations as “shithole countries,” calling Trump’s words “completely inappropriate.”

Paulsen called on the White House to issue an apology in a series of tweets, and rebuked Trump for making “denigrating statement” about other countries.

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“It is completely inappropriate for the President to refer to other countries in the manner in which he reportedly did, especially given the circumstances and disasters that led many TPS immigrants to seek refuge and shelter in the US,” Paulsen tweeted, referring to immigrants with Temporary Protected Status.

“I hope the White House apologizes for these degrading comments and focuses on working towards a solution for those from TPS countries rather than making denigrating statements,” he added.

I hope the White House apologizes for these degrading comments and focuses on working towards a solution for those from TPS countries rather than making denigrating statements

— Rep. Erik Paulsen (@RepErikPaulsen) January 12, 2018

Paulsen, whose seat is being targeted by Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections, was appointed earlier in the day by Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as the chair of the of the Joint Economic Committee.

The Minnesota Republican joined a chorus of lawmakers from both parties in criticizing Trump over the remarks, which were reported to have occurred during a Thursday meeting with lawmakers in the Oval Office on immigration.

Fellow GOP Rep. Mia Love (Utah), who is Haitian-American, called Trump’s remarks “unkind, divisive” and “elitist” in her own statement.

“My parents came from one of those countries, took an oath of allegiance to it, and took on the responsibilities of everything that being a citizen comes with,” Love said.

The White House issued a statement on Thursday in response to a Washington Post story that first reported the comments, but did not deny Trump’s use of the term.

“Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” White House spokesman Raj Shah said.