President Trump on Tuesday touted the record low unemployment rate among black Americans and declared that immigrants “from everywhere” were welcome in the US.
Trump’s comments came on Twitter and later during a brief televised appearance at the White House with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.
“Black unemployment is the best it’s ever been in recorded history. It’s been fantastic. It’s the best number we’ve had with respect to black unemployment. we’ve never seen anything even close, so we’re very honored by that,” he said.
Asked about Sen. Dick Durbin’s charge that Trump said he wanted more immigrants from Norway, the president replied, “I want them to come from everywhere.”
When reporters persisted in shouting questions, a grim-faced Trump barked: “Out!”
Durbin had also accused Trump of referring to Haiti and some African nations as “shithole countries” during a bi-partisan meeting on immigration reform last week at the White House.
Earlier Tuesday, the president took to Twitter to give himself a pat on the back for the low unemployment rate among African-Americans as the controversy over his remarks continued to roil his administration.
“Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews,” he wrote.