Trump: 'Senator Dicky Durbin' lying about DACA meeting

President Donald Trump on Monday tweeted that Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), referring to the senator as "Dicky," mischaracterized what was said at Thursday's meeting on immigration where the president was accused of calling African nations and Haiti a "shithole."

"Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can't be made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our military," the president posted online.


The president has made a habit of using derogatory nicknames for his political enemies. He referred frequently to "Crooked Hillary Clinton," "Lyin' Ted Cruz" "Little Marco Rubio" and "Crazy Bernie Sanders" during the 2016 campaign. "Sneaky Dianne Feinstein," "Liddle Bob Corker," and "Wacky Congresswoman Wilson" are among the other monikers he has used in the past.

On Friday, Durbin spoke out against Trump to confirm reports of the president's wording in Thursday's meeting. Durbin told the media that the president used "hate-filled, vile and racist" language while speaking about immigrants from Africa and Haiti.

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Trump has vehemently denied the "shithole" comment, and told reporters in Florida on Sunday that he is the "least racist person you have ever interviewed." While some Republican lawmakers — including Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who were present at the meeting — have taken issue with the accusation, the White House itself has not denied the comment.

Durbin was one of six lawmakers who proposed a bipartisan immigration agreement that offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers while giving additional funding to the president's border wall. Trump rejected the deal and has blamed Democrats for the lack of progress on a solution for the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.