Rick Scott: Trump’s ‘s—hole countries’ comment is ‘absolutely wrong’

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) is slamming President Trump for calling Haiti, El Salvador and certain African nations “shithole countries,” saying his remarks were “absolutely wrong.”

“If this report is true, it is absolutely wrong to say or think this,” Scott said in a statement Thursday after the comments were first reported by The Washington Post. “I do not think this way, nor do I agree with this kind of sentiment. I represent Florida, and we are an amazing melting pot where over 250 languages are spoken.”

“I work every day to make this the most welcoming state for everyone — Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans, and others from all around the world that call Florida home. I’m incredibly proud of our diversity,” he continued.

Scott’s statement comes as Trump is reportedly pushing him to challenge Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) in this year’s midterm elections.

{mosads}More than 300,000 foreign-born Haitians live in Florida, and a little more than 100,000 of them are registered to vote, University of Florida political scientist Daniel A. Smith told Politico.

He also estimated that the turnout rate for those Haitians in 2016 was at 75 percent, matching the state average.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) confirmed that Trump had made the comments during an Oval Office meeting on immigration and that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had spoken out against the statement after it was made.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also said that Graham had confirmed the comments to him. Other GOP senators attending the meeting said they didn’t recall the specific remarks.

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump said, according to the Post. He also said the U.S. should bring in more people from countries like Norway.

The White House did not initially deny that Trump made the comments, but Trump disputed the reports on Twitter on Friday.