Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.) said Friday that he "personally heard" the now-notorious comments President Trump allegedly made Thursday at a bipartisan meeting on immigration. By Friday afternoon, a Republican senator had joined Durbin in apparently confirming the reports as well.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said he talked to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who was in the room at the Thursday meeting, and said that Graham told him that the comments being reported by the press are "basically accurate." A Democratic aide told NBC News on Thursday that Trump vented about immigrants coming to the United States from "shithole countries," although Trump has denied he used that "language."
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Although Graham has not confirmed his remarks to The Post and Courier, Durbin claimed earlier Friday that his South Carolina colleague "spoke up and made a direct comment on what the president said … For him to confront the president as he did, literally sitting next to him, took extraordinary political courage and I respect him for it." The remarks have been internationally condemned, with the United Nations human rights office deeming them "racist." Jeva Lange
Update 2:41 p.m.: In a statement, Graham confirmed that he confronted Trump about his remarks, though he did not elaborate specifically on what the president said. Read the full statement here.
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