President Donald Trump should retract his comments about immigrants coming from countries as he reportedly described as "s***hole" places, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Friday, while insisting that his state loves its immigrant population.
"If the reports are true, he should take them back," the Republican governor, who often sides with the president, told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program. "I disagree with him completely."
Scott added that there are about 100,000 people moving from other countries into Florida a year.
"We are the best melting pot," Scott said. "We have 250 languages spoken and we are at a 46-year low in our crime rate. It works in Florida."
On Thursday, Trump questioned why the United States would provide protections for immigrants from "s***hole countries" such as Haiti, El Salvador and in Africa, rather than bring in immigrants from places like Norway, several sources told The Washington Post.
The language revived charges that Trump is racist and startled lawmakers at the meeting, the Post reported, and the White House did not immediately deny he'd made the comment.
However, on Friday morning, Trump posted a tweet on the issue:
Immigrants, Scott said Friday, are "part of the fabric of our state," and are part of how Florida is "building this great economy. We are growing way faster than the rest of this country."
He said he knows the country's leaders need to figure out an immigration policy that works and to secure borders while taking care of Dreamers, but in Florida, "we have very good legal immigration."
Scott also discussed the Trump administration's decision to spare Florida from expanding offshore drilling, defending the move because of his state's status as a tourism destination.
"Last year I spoke with Sec. [Ryan] Zinke a number of times, met with him," said Scott. "Florida, we have to remember, we are a tourism state. One out of every six jobs in our state is tied to tourism. So, I oppose offshore drilling."
In addition, Florida has 20 military bases, many of which do a great deal of training in the eastern Gulf, so drilling also would impact the nation's military bases, said Scott.
"I have been clear that we didn't want the offshore drilling and I want to thank the Trump administration for being responsive," said Scott. "I want to thank Secretary Zinke for coming down to meet with me and we got this resolved quickly."
As for other coastline states, Scott said their governors should do what he's doing and represent their states' best interests.
"We will have 120 plus million tourists this year," said Scott. "When you have a state that has military bases tied to training exercises in the eastern Gulf, you have got to be very adamant that you have to oppose offshore drilling."
Scott said he also is concerned with the effects of offshore drilling on the environment in Florida.
"We put effort into making sure we have the most pristine environment in the world," said Scott. "Every governor has to decide what's in the best interest of their state. I know what's in the best interest of mine."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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