Vice President Pence is defending 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 following a report that Trump referred to some nations as "shithole countries" during heated negotiations over immigration.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pence said that he “knows the president’s heart” and that Trump does not consider an immigrant’s “race or creed” when formulating immigration measures.

Pence made the comments while in Jerusalem, which he is visiting as part of a four-day tour of the Middle East.

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Trump ignited a firestorm of controversy last week after it was reported that he referred to Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations as “shithole countries” at an Oval Office meeting with lawmakers about immigration and said the U.S. should instead take in more people from countries like Norway.

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.), who was in the meeting, said that Trump had used “hate-filled, vile and racist” language to describe immigrants. Many Democrats denounced the president’s remarks as racist.

But several Republicans said the Oval Office meeting had become heated and that many of those in the room had used foul language.

Trump’s defenders argued that Trump was crudely making the point that high-skilled workers should get priority over immigrants seeking asylum from dysfunctional governments or extreme poverty.

In the AP interview, Pence said the White House position is that the U.S. should move to a merit-based immigration system whereby immigrants granted entrance would “contribute to a growing American economy and thriving communities.”