Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) told CNN Tuesday that she believes President Trump “made clear” that “he wants basically white people” to come to the U.S. based on remarks he reportedly made in an immigration meeting last week referring to countries like Haiti as “sh**hole countries.”
“He made clear that day that he met with Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham that he wants basically white people to come to our country,” Hirono said.
Sen. Mazie Hirono says Trump "made clear ... he wants, basically, white people to come to our country." https://t.co/HuVHNyjcUS
— New Day (@NewDay) January 16, 2018
“It’s hard not to have that interpretation,” she claimed. “That’s not just my interpretation.”
She also slammed Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA) who were in the meeting for saying they “do not recall” the comments.
“I think if the president uses a word like, and I will use it sh**hole, to refer to certain countries I think you would remember,” she said.
She called Cotton and Perdue “enablers to the president.”
Trump has denied the reports but admitted the language he used in the meeting was “tough.”
He also criticized Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) for misrepresenting what was said.
Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can’t get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018
"Look, the president hasn't said he didn't use strong language," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday when asked about the remarks. "And this is an important issue. He's passionate about it. He's not going to apologize for trying to fix our immigration system. He's committed to doing that and hopefully Democrats will be too."