Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Thursday shocked reporters by blasting his own party’s former presidential nominee’s immigration policies as “racist” and “horrific.”

According to Business Insider’s Brett LoGiurato, Priebus was asked about former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s “self-deportation” policy following Thursday’s “Rising Stars” presentation at the RNC Summer Meeting in Boston.

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At a debate in 2012, Romney had said that his immigration policy would be to encourage people to deport themselves by making their lives miserable, but he would not “round up people and deport them.”

“Using the word ‘self-deportation’ — it’s a horrific comment to make,” Priebus reportedly said on Thursday. “I don’t think it has anything to do with our party. When someone makes those comments, obviously, it’s racist.”

The RNC chairman also addressed Rep. Steve King’s assertion that many immigrants had “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’ve been hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.”

“Well, of course, it’s hurtful,” Priebus admitted. “Of course, it hurts… Just, not good.”

[Photo: Reince Priebus speaks with “Rising Stars” at the RNC Summer Meeting (C-SPAN/screen capture)]