In the wake of reports that President Donald Trump referred to African nations as "shitholes" during a meeting with lawmakers on Thursday, the president was asked to account for those comments by reporters on Friday morning after he signed a resolution honoring the work of civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr..

"Mr. President, did you refer to African nations as 'shitholes'?" queried one reporter after the signing.

"Mr. President, are you a racist?" asked White House correspondent April Ryan.

The president did not answer or respond.

SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Never Miss a Beat. Get our best delivered to your inbox.







Watch:

"Mr. President, are you a racist?" pic.twitter.com/1su6KnexS3 — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) January 12, 2018

While Trump earlier in the day took to Twitter and denied he used the vulgar and racist language to describe other nations, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) subsequently went on the record, as one of six lawmakers in the room when the remarks were allegedly said, and confirmed that the president did, in fact, use those "hate-filled" words.

"He said these hate-filled things," Durbin said. "And he said them repeatedly."