French President Emmanuel Macron says he shared the outrage of many African countries in response to President Donald Trump's disparaging comments about the continent.

Trump referred to African nations as "shithole countries" earlier this month during a Washington meeting, according to several participants. The president denied using that language.

Macron told the BBC in an interview broadcast Sunday that it's "not a word you can use" when one wants respectful relations.

Macron says he has a very direct relationship with Trump, whom he described as "not a classical politician."

"I think a lot of our issues in both the Middle East and in Africa is due to a lot of frustrations, due to a lot of past humiliations," Macron said. "And we have to understand that."