During an Oval Office appearance with the President of Kazakhstan Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he wants immigrants to come to the U.S. from “everywhere.”
Trump was responding to a shouted question from CNN’s Jim Acosta, who asked why Trump reportedly favors immigrants who come from European countries like Norway.
“I want them to come in from everywhere, everywhere,” Trump said.
The comment follows international outrage over Trump’s reported vulgar language during a bipartisan meeting with lawmakers last week, when he reportedly questioned why the U.S. needs more immigrants from Haiti and “shithole countries” like those in Africa. Trump also reportedly asked why the U.S. couldn’t attract more immigrants from Norway.
Tuesday’s remark falls in stark contrast with not only the statements Trump made about African countries last week, but also about his rolling legacy as President. Within days of moving into the Oval Office, Trump signed an executive order banning people from seven predominately Muslim countries from traveling to the United States.
The move has been met with intense pushback from civil rights groups and blockage by several federal judges across the U.S.