A spokesman for Sen. Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Top GOP senator calls for Biden to release list of possible Supreme Court picks MORE (D-Ill.) on Sunday attacked Republican lawmakers for denying they heard President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE call Haiti, El Salvador and African nations “shithole countries” during a White House meeting.

“Yesterday, Senators Cotton and Perdue ‘could not recall’ what the President said. Today they can. That, folks, is a credibility problem,” Ben Marter, Durbin’s director of communications, tweeted.

Yesterday, Senators Cotton and Perdue “could not recall” what the President said. Today they can. That, folks, is a credibility problem. https://t.co/cLT13FANc3 — Ben Marter (@BenMarter) January 14, 2018

In a meeting with lawmakers last week, Trump reportedly questioned why the U.S. kept accepting immigrants from "shithole countries" such as Haiti, El Salvador and African nations, instead of accepting more immigrants from places like Norway.

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Durbin, Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg Democratic senator calls for eliminating filibuster, expanding Supreme Court if GOP fills vacancy What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies MORE (R-S.C.), Sen. Tom Cotton Tom Bryant CottonRenewed focus on Trump's Supreme Court list after Ginsburg's death Republicans call for DOJ to prosecute Netflix executives for releasing 'Cuties' Loeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' MORE (R-Ark.) and Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) were in attendance.

Durbin told reporters Trump made the remark, and stood by his claim even after the president denied it. Graham didn't directly confirm or deny the comment, but reportedly told Sen. Tim Scott Timothy (Tim) Eugene ScottAuthor Ryan Girdusky: RNC worked best when highlighting 'regular people' as opposed to 'standard Republicans' Now is the time to renew our focus on students and their futures GOP lobbyists pleasantly surprised by Republican convention MORE (R-S.C.) reports of Trump's remarks were "basically accurate."

Cotton and Perdue initially issued a statement saying they did not recall Trump saying "shithole countries." On Sunday morning talk shows, both senators further clarified their statements.

Perdue outright denied Trump made the vulgar remark, while Cotton said he did not hear the comment, and suggested Durbin has a history of misrepresenting White House meetings.

"I didn't hear it. And I was sitting no farther away from Donald Trump than Dick Durbin was, and I know what Dick Durbin has said about the president's repeated statements is incorrect,” Cotton said on CBS's "Face The Nation."

Marter also took aim at Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenDHS IG won't investigate after watchdog said Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments violated law Appeals court sides with Trump over drawdown of immigrant protections Democrats smell blood with new DHS whistleblower complaint MORE, who was also at the meeting and said Sunday she didn’t recall him using “that exact phrase.”

“Secretary Nielsen is visibly uncomfortable having to lie — twice — to cover for the President. Pretty early in her tenure to lose her credibility but that’s the deal you make when you sign on to be a face of this Administration,” Marter tweeted.

Secretary Nielsen is visibly uncomfortable having to lie — twice — to cover for the President. Pretty early in her tenure to lose her credibility but that’s the deal you make when you sign on to be a face of this Administration. — Ben Marter (@BenMarter) January 14, 2018