S. Africa Summons US Diplomat Over Trump’s Reported Vulgar Remarks

South Africa is the latest country to call in an American diplomat to explain U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported vulgar remarks about African and Haitian immigrants to the U.S.

Trump stunned lawmakers in a recent White House meeting on immigration when, according to multiple reports, he asked, “Why are we having all these people from s—hole countries come here?”

Trump reportedly said the U.S. should allow in more people from places such as Norway. Norway’s population is predominantly white. The populations of the African countries and Haiti are mostly black.

Statements from international and domestic organizations are expressing concern that the U.S. and its president are going down a racist path. Trump has denied he is a racist and insists he didn’t make the reported vulgar remarks.

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) was scheduled to talk Monday with the second in command at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria about Trump’s remarks.

DIRCO said is a statement “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 State Department says American diplomats in Haiti and Botswana have also been summoned to discuss Trump’s remarks.

The African ambassadors to the United Nations said its group “is extremely appalled at and strongly condemns the outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks attributed to the President of the United States.”

The group said in the statement that it “demands a retraction and an apology.”

The African ambassadors said they are “concerned at the continuing and growing trend from the U.S. administration towards Africa and people of African descent to denigrate the continent and people of colour.”

The U.S. Congressional Black Caucus said, “President Trump’s comments are yet another confirmation of his racially insensitive and ignorant views. It also reinforces the concerns that we hear every day, that the President’s slogan Make America Great Again is really code for Make America White Again.”
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