Media

NYT’s Friedman repeatedly says ‘s—hole’ in tirade against Trump on CNN

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman unloaded on President Trump in a profanity-laced tirade for telling a group of Democratic congresswomen they should “go back” to their home countries, asking two CNN hosts “what shithole country did your grandparents come from?”

“Every one of us at some point, or virtually all of us, can trace our roots to what Trump has called shithole countries,” Friedman said during a discussion with “New Day” hosts Alisyn Camerota and Mark Berman on Monday.

{mosads}”Hey Camerota, which shithole country did your grandparents come from? Berman, which shithole countries did your grandparents come from?” he asked.

“We all came here. We all came here because this is not a country of blood and soil, which Trump thinks, it’s a country built around a universal idea that out of many, we make one,” Friedman continued. “And I know one thing absolutely for sure: that we have a president of the United States who could not pass the simplest citizenship test that is administrated to every new immigrant in this country because he has no idea what this country is about.”

CNN did not censor Friedman’s remarks or abruptly end the interview. The network has allowed its anchors and guests to say the word “shithole” on the air in the past.

Trump’s online attacks against the congresswomen, believed to be Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), began Sunday morning. Three of the four lawmakers were born in the U.S., while Omar, who is a U.S. citizen, was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. as a refugee.

“So sad to see the Democrats sticking up for people who speak so badly of our Country and who, in addition, hate Israel with a true and unbridled passion. Whenever confronted, they call their adversaries, including Nancy Pelosi, ‘RACIST,'” Trump tweeted to his 62 million followers Sunday night.

“Their disgusting language and the many terrible things they say about the United States must not be allowed to go unchallenged. If the Democrat Party wants to continue to condone such disgraceful behavior, then we look even more forward to seeing you at the ballot box in 2020!” he added.

On Monday, he asked when the “Radical Left Congresswomen” would apologize to the U.S.

Trump’s comments were deemed racist by his critics, including many 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

Trump last year reportedly referred to immigrants from Haiti and African countries as coming from “shithole countries,” drawing criticism.