Anderson Cooper’s passionate defence of Haitians against Trump’s ‘shithole’ remark

WARNING: This report contains explicit subject matter. 

CNN news host Anderson Cooper gave an emotional send-off to the people of Haiti in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments on immigration from what he called “shithole” countries.

The comments from Cooper and Trump came one day before the eighth anniversary of the devastating earthquake that left over 100,000 people dead.

READ MORE: Trump says some immigrants are from ‘shithole’ countries, rejects immigration deal: reports

1:59 Report: Trump trashes protections for immigrants; calls Haiti, El Salvador, African Nations “s***hole countries”

Trump had been discussing a potential deal with a team of senators that would have restored protections for immigrants from Haiti, African countries and El Salvador, the Washington Post and others reported Thursday night.

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump asked senators.

“Why do we need more Haitians?” Trump reportedly said. “Take them out.”

Cooper denounced the statements on his CNN show Anderson Cooper 360, calling them ignorant and racist.

“Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist… The sentiment the president expressed today is a racist sentiment,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist… The sentiment the president expressed today is a racist sentiment," he said.

At the end of his show, Cooper got emotional when discussing his dealings with Haitians.

“I just want to take a minute to talk about Haiti, one of the places the president referred to today as a ‘shithole’ country,’” he said.

“The people of Haiti have been through more… They’ve fought back against more injustice than our president ever has.”

He spoke about his high school math teacher, who was an immigrant from Haiti, and the people who he saw save others during the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.

“I was there when a five-year-old boy… was rescued after being buried for more than seven days.

“Do you know what strength it takes to survive on rainwater buried under concrete? A five-year-old boy buried for seven days,” he reiterated, visibly upset by the situation.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Do you know what strength it takes to survive on rainwater buried under concrete? A five-year-old boy buried for seven days," he reiterated, visibly upset by the situation.

He ended the segment calling out the president for a lack of dignity.

“Haitians slap you in the hand when they shake it, they look you in the eye, they don’t blink. They stand tall, and they have dignity,” he explained.

“Dignity that many in this White House could learn from. A dignity the president, with all his money and all his power could learn from as well.”

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*with a file from Jessica Vomiero