The President

Homeland Security Head Says What She Heard During Immigration Meeting

Sen. Dick Durbin grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on President Trump allegedly calling some nations "shithole countries."

Homeland Security Head Says What She Heard During Immigration Meeting
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Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on the now-infamous immigration meeting in which President Donald Trump allegedly called some nations "shithole countries."

"Let's see, strong language, there was, uh, apologies — I don't remember specific word," Nielsen said.

Durbin asked Nielsen to detail the "strong language" Trump used in the meeting. Nielsen seemingly dodged. Instead, she said she was just struck by the "general profanity" in the room.

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"Did you hear me use profanity?" Durbin asked.

"No, sir. Neither did I," Nielsen replied.

"Did you hear Sen. Graham use profanity?"

"I did hear tough language from Sen. Graham."

Nielsen repeated Sen. Lindsey Graham used tough language. Durbin then clarified the context of what Graham said.

"I'm not going to ask you to say those words here," Durbin said, "but I will just say for the record Sen. Graham spoke up in a way that I respect very much, countering what the president said about countries in Africa. ... His strong words repeated exactly the words used  by the president, which you cannot remember."