Paul Altidor, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States, said he and the Haitian government “vehemently condemn” the remark President Trump reportedly made, calling Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations “shithole countries.”

“Haitians fought along U.S. soldiers in the Revolutionary War and we continue to be great contributors to American society,” Altidor said, according to Yamiche Alcindor, a PBS NewsHour White House correspondent.

Ambassador Paul Altidor also said Haiti’s embassy in DC has heard from many US citizens of Haitian ancestry who are demanding an apology. He called President Trump’s comments an “assault” on Haitian people and the country’s history. https://t.co/K7c4j0GhBr — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 12, 2018



Altidor said he and the Haitian government consider the comments to be “based on stereotypes" and called them an "assault" on Haitian citizens and the country's history.

“Either the president has been misinformed or he is miseducated,” he said.

According to Alcindor, he said that Haiti's government has formally requested for a U.S. official to explain the remarks to Haitian officials and noted that Haiti's embassy in Washington, D.C., has received requests from those of Haitian ancestry seeking an apology.

The Washington Post first reported that Trump asked lawmakers during a Thursday meeting: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”

In response, the White House defended Trump’s position on immigration and did not refute that he made the comment.

Additionally, Trump also reportedly singled out Haitians, according to someone familiar with the meeting. "Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out,” Trump said, according to CNN.

Trump’s comments come less than a month after he reportedly said people from Haiti “all have AIDS” and those from Nigeria who immigrated to the U.S. would never “go back to their huts.” The White House claimed Trump did not make those statements.