Conservative pundits on Thursday backed President Donald Trump's comments ripping protections from immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries, with Fox News host Tucker Carlson tweeting that those from El Salvador "should be sent home immediately."
Here is his post:
The Washington Post reported Trump grew frustrated in a bipartisan meeting on immigration as lawmakers floated the idea of restoring protections for immigrants from Africa, El Salvador, and Haiti.
"Why are we having all these people from s**thole countries come here?" Trump said, according to the Post, referring to the African countries and Haiti.
The newspaper cited two unnamed sources who were briefed on the session.
Trump's remarks brought strong support from other Fox hosts, including Jesse Watters.
"It's either fake news or, if it's true, this is how the forgotten men and women in America talk at the bar," Watters said on "The Five" news program.
"This is how Trump relates to people.
"If you are in a bar in Wisconsin and you are thinking they are bringing in a bunch of Haiti people or El Salvadorians [sic] or people from Niger, this is how some people talk," Watters continued.
"Is it graceful? No. Is it polite or delicate? Absolutely not. Is it a little offensive? Of course it is.
"But you know what?" he asked. "This doesn't move the needle at all.
"This is how Trump is. He doesn't care.
"He shoots from the hip — and if he offends some people, fine."
But Juan Williams, a "Five" co-host who is African American, challenged Watters, suggesting he would react differently if Trump had said that about whites.
"I wouldn't say that," Greg Gutfeld, another co-host, interjected. "I don't think he should say that.
"You've got to ask why can't citizens stay in their country and fix their country?" he then asked. "Why is it that they can't do that?
"How do you describe a country where it's impossible for you to fix it?"
Gutfeld then said jokingly he had lived in apartments like that and had called them "that word."
"Everyone has lived in a s**thole."
On another Fox program, retired New Jersey Superior Court Judge Andrew Napolitano told Bret Baier of Trump: "I've known him for 30 years.
"I know him well and like him and admire him, but this is a new low," he said.
"The language, the racial implications are reprehensible and he deserves the criticism he's going to get."
However, Napolitano added: "The flip side is a lot of his supporters will agree with that tone and elected him because he uses, from time to time, that tone, and they will cheer him on."
In other responses, the Drudge Report website posted a banner headline saying, "Trump Balks at 'S**thole' Immigration Deal."
Meanwhile, other conservative pundits took to Twitter:
Joel Pollak, senior editor at large of Breitbart News:
Radio talk-show host Ann Coulter: