Some attendees at the annual World Economic Forum are planning to walk out during President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE's address on Friday.

Several conferencegoers told Quartz that they are planning to leave during Trump's speech in protest of his reported remarks this month that immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations came from "shithole countries."

Bonang Mohale, the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa, said in an open letter last week that he and others would boycott Trump's address at the annual gathering in the Swiss resort town of Davos, and urged "likeminded peers to do the same."

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In that letter, Mohale called Trump's alleged comments insulting and blasted the president's "continued failure to unequivocally apologise" for the remarks, which Trump has denied saying.

"The overt racism of these statements is self-evident, and a stain on an office as august as yours," Mohale wrote.

The Washington Post first reported earlier this month that, in an Oval Office meeting with lawmakers and administration officials, Trump demanded to know why the U.S. should admit immigrants from "shithole countries" over immigrants from countries like Norway.

The reported remarks were widely condemned as callous and racist, and prompted governments in Africa and elsewhere to summon U.S. diplomats to explain the president's alleged comments.

While some lawmakers who attended the meeting have confirmed that Trump used the term, others have denied it or said they didn't hear him say it.