Shithole comment: I am not a racist, I tell the truth—President Trump
Shithole comment: South Africa summons US embassy official
Disturbed by the ‘shithole’ comment of United States President, Donald Trump, South Africa has summoned a top U.S. Embassy official for a Monday meeting.
There is currently a wide range of criticism for Trump’s uncomplimentary and vulgar language in disrespect for African countries.
Trump’s alleged shithole comments caused shock internationally and incurred allegations of racism, with the UN, the African Union and many individual African governments denouncing it.
News Agency of Nigeria said in a statement on the Monday summons, the South African government referred to Trump’s comments as “disturbing” and said that while Trump has tweeted a denial, it “was not categorical.”
“Relations between South Africa and the United States, and between the rest of Africa and the United States, must be based on mutual respect and understanding,” the statement said.
On Friday, after the alleged comment prompted a media storm, Botswana’s government summoned its ambassador to the US to ask whether Botswana was considered “a shithole”
However, despite his consistent uncomplimentary remarks about Africa and Haiti and his stance on immigration, Trump has denied has he is a racist.
Anger boiled over last week when Trump labelled African countries and Haiti “shit-hole countries”. Although Trump did not expressly deny the shit-hole remarks, he has expressly said that he is not a racist and he has always said the truth.
BBC reports that the President told White House reporters at his Florida golf resort on Sunday : “I am not a racist. I’m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
It is the first time the president has responded directly to the racism accusations.
He made the denial to White House press pool reporters at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in Florida on Sunday night.
The shit-hole row broke out after lawmakers from both parties visited the president on Thursday to work on a proposal for a bipartisan immigration deal.
Reports later emerged in US media that Mr Trump had asked during the meeting: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”