Trump says 'I'm not a racist ' keeps door open for DACA deal
REUTERSKevin Lamarque Trump
WEST PALM BEACH  Fla. (Reuters) -  U.S. President Donald Trump  insisted on Sunday “I‘m not a racist” in response to reports that  he  had described immigrants from Haiti and African countries as coming from “shithole countries.”
 Trump  also said  he  was “ready  willing and able” to reach a deal to protect illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children from being deported but that  he  did not believe Democrats wanted an agreement.  He  tweeted earlier on Sunday that the existing program would “probably” be discontinued.
The comments led to harsh recriminations from Democrats and Republicans alike  with some critics accusing  Trump  of racism  even as bipartisan talks continued in the U.S. Congress to seek a bipartisan compromise to salvage the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program  or DACA.
Asked by a reporter in Florida whether he was a racist   Trump  said: “No. I‘m not a racist. I‘m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
 Trump  has threatened to end DACA  but he seemed to keep the door open for a deal when he told reporters before dinner on Sunday night: “We’re ready  willing and able to make a deal on DACA  but I don’t think the Democrats want to make a deal…. The Democrats are the ones that aren’t going to make a deal.”
Love  whose parents are from Haiti  had criticized  Trump  for his remarks and called on him to apologize.
 U.S. President Donald Trump  speaks as  he  and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy arrive for dinner at  Trump 's golf club in West Palm Beach  Florida  U.S.  January 14  2018. REUTERS/ Kevin Lamarque
Trump  denied making the disparaging remarks on Friday  although U.S. Senator Richard Durbin  who was in the White House meeting  said the president had used the term. One participant at the meeting on Sunday denied that  Trump  used the term and another said  he  did not recall  Trump  making such comments.
Asked on Sunday whether  his  inflammatory remarks made it harder to get a DACA deal   Trump  said: “Did you see what various senators in the room say about my comments? They weren’t bad.”
One of Trump’s top advisers  Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen  said on “Fox News Sunday” she did not recall if  Trump  used “that specific phrase.”
She also appeared to rebut  Trump ’s remarks from earlier in the day. “DACA is not dead ” she said.
WEST PALM BEACH  Fla. (Reuters) -  U.S. President Donald Trump  insisted on Sunday “I‘m not a racist” in response to reports that  he  had described immigrants from Haiti and African countries as coming from “shithole countries.”
 Trump  also said  he  was “ready  willing and able” to reach a deal to protect illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children from being deported but that  he  did not believe Democrats wanted an agreement.  He  tweeted earlier on Sunday that the existing program would “probably” be discontinued.
The comments led to harsh recriminations from Democrats and Republicans alike  with some critics accusing  Trump  of racism  even as bipartisan talks continued in the U.S. Congress to seek a bipartisan compromise to salvage the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program  or DACA.
Asked by a reporter in Florida whether he was a racist   Trump  said: “No. I‘m not a racist. I‘m the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
 Trump  has threatened to end DACA  but he seemed to keep the door open for a deal when he told reporters before dinner on Sunday night: “We’re ready  willing and able to make a deal on DACA  but I don’t think the Democrats want to make a deal…. The Democrats are the ones that aren’t going to make a deal.”
Love  whose parents are from Haiti  had criticized  Trump  for his remarks and called on him to apologize.
 U.S. President Donald Trump  speaks as  he  and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy arrive for dinner at  Trump 's golf club in West Palm Beach  Florida  U.S.  January 14  2018. REUTERS/ Kevin Lamarque
Trump  denied making the disparaging remarks on Friday  although U.S. Senator Richard Durbin  who was in the White House meeting  said the president had used the term. One participant at the meeting on Sunday denied that  Trump  used the term and another said  he  did not recall  Trump  making such comments.
Asked on Sunday whether  his  inflammatory remarks made it harder to get a DACA deal   Trump  said: “Did you see what various senators in the room say about my comments? They weren’t bad.”
One of Trump’s top advisers  Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen  said on “Fox News Sunday” she did not recall if  Trump  used “that specific phrase.”
She also appeared to rebut  Trump ’s remarks from earlier in the day. “DACA is not dead ” she said.