Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said President Trump “made clear” during a meeting with Republican and Democratic senators last week he supports immigration policies that are aimed at helping white people enter the country.

“He made clear that day that he met with Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham that he wants basically white people to come to our country,” Hirono told CNN. “It’s hard not to have that interpretation. That’s not just my interpretation.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono says Trump "made clear ... he wants, basically, white people to come to our country." https://t.co/HuVHNyjcUS— New Day (@NewDay) January 16, 2018



During the meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump reportedly referred to African nations and others as “shithole countries” and made derogatory remarks about Haitians.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., confirmed the president’s comments, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told fellow South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott press reports recounting the remarks were “basically accurate.”

But Sens. David Perdue, R-Ga., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., have denied Trump used the vulgar term.

Trump said he used “tough” language during the meeting, during which senators were discussing an immigration deal, but denied using the phrase “shithole.”