Lindsey Graham allegedly confirmed reports of Trump's immigration comment


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."
"We ought not to disparage any other nation, frankly," Scott told The Post and Courier. "Thinking about the success of America, it is the melting pot. It's the ability to weave together multiple communities together for one nation."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Are masked ICE agents America's new secret police?
Today's Big Question Critics say masks undermine trust in law enforcement
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders