UN calls Trump "racist" over "s**thole countries" comment

The UN on Friday strongly condemned US President Donald Trump's reported description of African coutnries and Haiti as "shithole countries."

Beta reported this, citing AFP.

"If confirmed, these are shocking and shameful comments from the President of the United States. Sorry, but there is no other word one can use but 'racist'," said UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Rupert Colville.

According to the Washington Post, during a meeting on Thursday about immigration reform, Trump asked: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?"

The comment is "believed" to have referred to immigrants from Haiti and some African countries.

According to reports, the White House did not deny that Trump used profanities during Thursday's meeting with lawmakers.

On Friday, the African Union announced it was "frankly alarmed" by his statement.

"Given the historical reality of how many Africans arrived in the United States as slaves, this statement flies in the face of all accepted behavior and practice. This is particularly surprising as the United States of America remains a global example of how migration gave birth to a nation built on strong values of diversity and opportunity," African Union spokesperson Ebba Kalondo told AP.

She added that "we believe that a statement like this hurts our shared global values on diversity, human rights and reciprocal understanding."