Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeRepublican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style Bush endorsing Biden? Don't hold your breath MORE (R) slammed President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE Friday morning for comments he reportedly made referring to Haiti and several African nations as "shithole countries."

ADVERTISEMENT

"The words used by the President, as related to me directly following the meeting by those in attendance, were not 'tough,' they were abhorrent and repulsive," Flake tweeted.

The words used by the President, as related to me directly following the meeting by those in attendance, were not “tough,” they were abhorrent and repulsive. — Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) January 12, 2018

During a Thursday bipartisan meeting in the Oval Office on immigration reform, the president reportedly asked why the U.S. would accept immigrants from "shithole countries." The White House has been hosting bipartisan meetings this week in hopes of reaching a deal on immigration that would include protections for young immigrants as well as funding for border security.

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump said, according to The Washington Post.

A White House statement on Thursday did not deny the account.

But on Friday morning, Trump tweeted a denial, claiming he used "tough" words but not the ones reported.

"The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used," the president wrote.

"Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said 'take them out.' Made up by Dems," Trump added.

Flake has emerged as a top critic of Trump since announcing that he would not seek reelection in a Senate floor speech in October that criticized the president.