U.S. President Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm this week after a speech in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania veered far from its advertised topic of economic affordability and into a series of contentious immigration remarks that critics call racist and divisive.
Trump — speaking to supporters at what resembled a campaign rally more than a policy address — repeatedly criticised immigrants from what he described as “third-world” or “filthy” countries like Afghanistan, Haiti and Somalia, while saying the United States should welcome more immigrants from Scandinavian nations such as Norway and Sweden.
“I’ve also announced a permanent pause on third-world migration — including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries,” Trump said. “Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden — just a few?”
His comments echo a highly controversial phrase he previously denied using from a 2018 closed-door meeting — that the U.S. should not accept immigrants from “shithole” countries. In recent days Trump publicly acknowledged using the term in that earlier setting and boasted about restricting migration from some nations, sparking renewed criticism from political leaders and civil rights groups.
