The New York Daily News didn't hold back with its front page. Photo / Twitter
The New York Daily News didn't hold back with its front page. Photo / Twitter
Americans are furious at Donald Trump after his foul-mouthed attack on immigrants from "shithole" countries in a White House meeting.
The New York Daily News published a brutal front page with the headline, "S*** for brains" above a cartoon image of a poo emoji with the President's features. It posted the page on Twitter with the caption: "@realdonaldtrump takes a dump on the American dream."
Trump reportedly blew up during an Oval Office meeting on immigration, asking, "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" in reference to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations.
Commentators and social media users have blown up over the 71-year-old's crude insult, which came after politicians suggested restoring protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and Africa as part of a bipartisan deal, insiders told the Washington Post.
"Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist. ... The sentiment the President expressed today is a racist sentiment." Anderson Cooper reacts to Trump's "shithole countries" remark https://t.co/d29zymhvqyhttps://t.co/CnCS0plgVL
Lady Liberty, our founding fathers, and generations of right-thinking Americans are all weeping tonight over the atrocious comments attributed to Donald Trump, who continues to demonstrate daily that he is a deeply flawed person. https://t.co/v2JAfqLRKU
Former CIA Director John Brennan said Lady Liberty was "weeping" over the President's "atrocious" comment, denouncing the commander-in-chief as a "deeply flawed person".
Late Night host Seth Meyers walked off set in despair at the news.
CNN's Anderson Cooper said Trump's comment was, "Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist. ... The sentiment the President expressed today is a racist sentiment."
Republican Senator James Lankford said in a statement: "If these comments are accurate, they are disappointing. I would not talk about nations like this, because I believe the people of those countries are made in the image of God and have worth and human dignity."
Mark Harris from culture website Vulture added: "I'm looking at the word "S***HOLE" on many different channels right now. Is America great again yet?"
President Donald Trump. Photo / AP
And MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace tore into the President: "This is so abnormal. This is a freak show," she said. "Donald Trump disgraced the country if what is reported out of this meeting is true."
The President reportedly made the comment after becoming frustrated during a discussion on restoring certain countries to the Temporary Protected Status program in exchange for $US1.5 billion border wall funding and a reduction in the visa lottery scheme.
He suggested the United States should instead encourage immigrants from countries such as Norway, whose prime minister he met this week.
Attendees were taken aback by his vulgar wording, according to two people briefed on the meeting who spoke to the Post.
The White House did not deny the President made the remark. Spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement: "Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people.
"He will always reject temporary, weak and dangerous stopgap measures that threaten the lives of hardworking Americans, and undercut immigrants who seek a better life in the United States through a legal pathway."
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she still believed a bipartisan deal on immigration could be reached. Photo / AP
El Salvador's protected status, initiated in response to the devastating 2001 earthquake, was removed this week, effective from September 2019.
Around 200,000 Salvadorans — most of whom have been US residents for a decade or more — will lose their right to stay in the country. Many have children who were born in the States and have US citizenship.
Those in favour of the move argue the TPS program was never intended to provide long-term residency.
Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Durbin proposed cutting the visa lottery program by 50 per cent and prioritising countries already in the system, a White House official said.
Trump was reportedly open to deal but changed his position by the time of the meeting.
Presidential aide Marc Short said the White House was nowhere near a bipartisan deal on immigration. "We still think we can get there," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
