Former President Donald Trump openly acknowledged and proudly recounted his controversial 2018 characterization of Haiti and African nations as ‘shithole countries’ during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. This marked a stark reversal from his initial denial of the remark that previously triggered international condemnation during his first term.
Addressing supporters, Trump elaborated on his inflammatory comments by specifically targeting Somalia, describing it as ‘filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.’ The recollection emerged when an audience member referenced the 2018 incident during Trump’s speech about his recently announced ‘permanent pause on Third World migration,’ which would restrict immigration from nations including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Somalia.
Trump’s account closely aligned with contemporaneous reports from individuals briefed on the original Oval Office discussion. ‘We had a meeting and I said, ‘Why is it we only take people from shithole countries,’ right? ‘Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden?” Trump told rally attendees.
The original 2018 comments—which disparaged predominantly Black nations while expressing preference for immigration from predominantly white countries—were widely condemned as racist by congressional Republicans, foreign leaders, and human rights advocates. Botswana’s government summoned the U.S. ambassador in protest, while Senegal’s President Macky Sall expressed shock, asserting that ‘Africa and the Black race merit the respect and consideration of all.’
This incident represents another example of Trump’s departure from traditional presidential decorum. Throughout his political career, he has frequently employed profanity and offensive language in public remarks, including recent use of explicit language during recorded events and derogatory comments about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thanksgiving.