President Donald Trump's choice expletive during a private immigration meeting Thursday set off a firestorm and outrage from many, including the African diaspora in the U.S.
On Friday, Trump denied using those comments, which were first reported by the Washington Post. Trump said he used tough language when discussing a bipartisan immigration deal that he saw as worsening "lottery and chain" migration. Trump announced in December that he was taking steps to end the State Department-run program.
African immigrants make up the majority of those granted U.S. residency through the Diversity Visa lottery. In the U.S., the number of African immigrants has roughly doubled every decade since 1970.
The United Nations human rights spokesman, Rupert Colville, called Trump's "shithole" remarks "shameful" and “racist.” Although leaders from Haiti and African nations issued statements of condemnation, it's still unclear whether Trump's comments will damage diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Africa.
We spoke to Africans in the U.S. about their reactions to Trump's comments:
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