Trump accused of calling African countries and Haiti 'shithole,' but denies using such term

US President Donald Trump has reportedly lashed out in a Thursday meeting with lawmakers about immigration reform, demanding to know why the US should accept citizens from what he called “shithole” countries.

Trump has come out to denied the accusation saying while he used “tough language” in an immigration meeting he denied using the term “s**thole countries”.

The comments, first reported by The Washington Post, sparked anger among Democrats and Republicans and revived questions about Trump’s tendency to make racially charged remarks.

Trump sat down with senators and congressmen at the White House to discuss a proposed bipartisan deal that would limit immigrants from bringing family members into the country, and restrict the green card visa lottery in exchange for shielding hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump said, according to people briefed on the meeting who spoke with The Washington Post.

The New York Times later reported the same comment, citing unnamed people with direct knowledge of the meeting.

The president was referring to African countries and Haiti, both newspapers said, with the Post including El Salvador on its list.

Trump then suggested the United States should welcome immigrants from places like Norway, whose prime minister met with Trump on Wednesday.

Why do we need more Haitians? he added, according to the Post account. Take them out, he said. 

Meanwhile the UN has rejected Donald Trump's "shithole" comments as "racist" and xenophobic.

These are shocking and shameful comments from the President of the United States. There is no other word one can use but 'racist'," UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a Geneva news briefing when asked about the comments.

You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as 'shitholes', whose entire populations, who are not white, are therefore not welcome," he added.

The issue was more than "vulgar language", Colville said.

It's about opening the door to humanity's worst side, about validating and encouraging racism and xenophobia that will potentially disrupt and destroy lives of many people.

In a series of an early morning tweet, Trump said;

Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018

The so-called bipartisan DACA deal presented yesterday to myself and a group of Republican Senators and Congressmen was a big step backwards. Wall was not properly funded, Chain & Lottery were made worse and USA would be forced to take large numbers of people from high crime.....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018

The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used. What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018