US Sen. Ron Johnson: President Should Apologize For ‘Inappropriate’ Remarks

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson called on President Donald Trump to apologize Friday after Trump reportedly referred to Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations as “shithole countries” during a private meeting about immigration.

“Totally inappropriate and he should apologize,” Johnson said during an interview with Wisconsin Public Television. “When you enter the public realm, I don’t care what your past was, I don’t know what kind of salty language he might have used, you stop doing it.”

“You have a certain responsibility, a certain decorum that you need to conduct yourself in public with. You have children watching. You have nations watching,” Johnson continued.

Trump’s remarks were widely reported following a meeting with lawmakers from both parties about a potential immigration bill.

Trump referenced the coverage Friday in a tweet, saying he “Never said anything derogatory about Haitians.”

But Johnson did not question whether or not Trump’s remarks happened.

“The best thing he could do is just admit it, apologize and move on,” Johnson said.

The senator said he condemned Trump’s remarks, though when asked, he did not say they were racist.

“I don’t want to put labels on things,” Johnson said. “They’re just completely inappropriate, and he should apologize for it.”

Johnson said Trump’s comments should not derail the ongoing talks on immigration.

“It shouldn’t affect it at all because what President Trump said a couple days ago is he will sign what we put on his desk. So it’s incumbent on us, senators, House members, to come up to that agreement.”

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Martha Laning said Republicans needed to more forcefully denounce Trump’s remarks as racist.

“It was nice to hear Sen. Johnson saying that this required an apology,” Laning said. “But it is racist. You are literally calling out an entire community, an entire country in a very inappropriate slur.”

In a separate interview Friday, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan also addressed the president’s comments at a WisPolitics luncheon in Milwaukee.

“I read those comments later last night and the first thing that came to my mind was very unfortunate, unhelpful,” Ryan said.

Laning said Ryan’s comments that Trump’s remarks were “unhelpful” were more lacking.

“Unhelpful for who?” Laning said. “The issue for me about that with Rep. Ryan is that he seems to be looking only at his political ambitions and the ambitions of his party.”

Ryan, of Janesville, went on to praise immigrants living in the United States.

“Whether you’re coming from Haiti … we’ve got great friends from Africa in Janesville, who are doctors, who are just incredible citizens. I just think it’s important that we celebrate that.”

Ryan said he still thinks Congress and the White House can reach an agreement that will prevent the possible deportation of thousands of children enrolled in the federal Deferred Action and Childhood Arrivals program.

Editor’s Note: This story was last updated at 3:58 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, 2018.