Donald Trump has angrily hit back at the idea of restoring protections for immigrants from Africa and Haiti, saying they come from “shithole countries”, according to reports.

The Washington Post and NBC News both report the outburst came in a meeting with lawmakers on Thursday.

The President was being informed of the impact of immigrants from Haiti and African nations when he reportedly asked: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?

“We should have more people from places like Norway.”

.@NBCNews source: As Durbin explained how deal would impact ppl from Haiti, Trump said, “Haiti? Why do we want people from Haiti here?” Then they got Africa. ‘Why do we want these people from all these shithole countries here? We should have more people from places like Norway.”

January 11, 2018
A White House spokesperson defended the comment, saying: “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people.”

The President “will always reject temporary, weak and dangerous stopgap measures that threaten the lives of hardworking Americans, and undercut immigrants who seek a better life in the United States through a legal pathway,” they added.

His choice of words have been condemned by a number of politicians and commentators.

It’s not often you can say this, but it would be better for our national security if the President of the United States watched cartoons every morning. (Or anything, for that matter, other than Fox News.)

January 11, 2018
Trump is the worst of us. #shitholepresident. No. He is the worst of us. And, as president, he is a mirror onto us. We ought to be…cannot help but be…ashamed.

January 11, 2018
I condemn this unforgivable statement and this demeaning of the office of the Presidency. I will always fight for the vulnerable among us and against bigotry in all its forms. https://t.co/uffsZkgnfy

January 11, 2018
People from Norway are most likely on Trump’s mind as the country’s Prime Minister is the last official foreign visitor he has received.
Statement from @rajshah45 on WaPo “shithole” story, via @JaxAlemanypic.twitter.com/fY6yDTCeRZ