The people of Norway are also pretty upset about Trump’s “shithole countries” comment

In case you happened to be peacefully dreaming about a world in which our president doesn’t refer to other countries as “shitholes,” yesterday The Washington Post broke a story revealing that during an Oval Office discussion regarding a bipartisan immigration deal, President Donald Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and various African nations as “shithole countries” while refuting the idea of restoring protections for immigrants from those countries.

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump reportedly told the lawmakers present during the meeting, including Senators Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham. He then apparently suggested that the United States should instead be looking to accept more immigrants from countries like Norway, whose prime minister he recently met.

Naturally, Trump’s statement was met with immediate outrage, with Paul Altidor, the Haitian ambassador to the United States formally summoning an official to explain the remarks, and Botswana summoning an official to clarify whether Trump considers the country to be a “shithole.” It’s also worth noting that Trump made the comments on the eve of the anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010. While Trump took to Twitter this morning to issue a vague denial of using the word “shithole” during the meeting — instead, calling his language “tough” — Senator Durbin refuted his claims, saying, “He said these hate-filled things and he said them repeatedly.”

But in the midst of the very warranted outrage, it was pointed out that Norwegians — and their universal healthcare, free education, and ranking as the happiest country in the world — are not looking to mass migrate to the United States.

NORWAY

Happiest country #1 (US #14)
Most gender equality #2 (US #49) damn you, Iceland
Most political freedom #1 (US #45)
Most press freedom #1 (US #43)
Most prosperous #1 (US #18)

People there must be clamoring to come to America.

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 12, 2018

Behind the facade, you are a very vulnerable, easily feels ashamed, feels emptiness and occupied by others. You has an inadequate ability to understand and see the feelings/needs of others, and becomes easily envious. Thats why the shithole came after my prime minister visited u

— Hege K Hansen (@hegkhan) January 12, 2018

Of course people from #Norway would love to move to a country where people are far more likely to be shot, live in poverty, get no healthcare because they’re poor, get no paid parental leave or subsidized daycare and see fewer women in political power. #Shithole

— Christian Christensen (@ChrChristensen) January 11, 2018

Trump: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here? Why not people from Norway?"

Norwegians: "Why would we move to a country with a shithole President?"

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) January 11, 2018

1) Why oh why bring us in Norway into it? I feel insulted being brought into such a racist comment. 2) We have it well where we are, so no thank you. Our country has healthcare, supports education, accepts science and doesn't have a leader that call other countries "shithole" https://t.co/m6FodxXO6N

— Cam (@camthenorwegian) January 12, 2018

https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/951592536841240576

as if anybody from norway wants to leave free healthcare, free education, no guns and a government that isn't trying to kill us for a shithole like the us

— hadia (@haahdia) January 12, 2018

@realDonaldTrump no one from Norway wants to come to this shithole country. They have healthcare for all, family leave, free education and real gun control. https://t.co/yL0gmS55Yw

— Michael J. McDonald (@MiguelMcD) January 11, 2018

Every person in Norway:"…wait…is he really asking why we don't want to migrate to that shithole oligarchy without univ. healthcare, for-profit prisons and education system, institutional racial and social injustices and a talking vomit as President? Hahah…good one"

— Amir (@AmirAminiMD) January 12, 2018

#Norway:
•Named Happiest Country
•Named Best Country To Live In by UN
•Named Most Prosperous Country
•Free colleges/universities

Norwegians, reading today's news from the States:
"Why in the world would we want to go to that #shithole country?" https://t.co/oSmMDZRonK

— ⒿⒶⓎ ⒷⓇⓄⓌⓃ (@TheMrJayBrown) January 11, 2018

As a Norwegian, I can say with certainty that I will never move to America while Trump is in the White House. I’m even thinking that I don’t even want to VISIT as long as he’s there. And that’s just addressing ONE of the many things in this article. https://t.co/t0V75zmFMr

— Minni (@MinniHowl) January 12, 2018

Years ago a #Norwegian colleague moved back to #Norway with his American wife because they were ready to start a family and considered the U.S. too violent and dangerous a place to raise children. #shithole

— Anneliese Bruner (@AnnelieseMaria) January 12, 2018

There’s no doubt that Trump’s language during the meeting was overtly racist, and we’re glad that many of the media organizations covering the abhorrent remarks are rightfully referring to it as such.

Frankly, this incident is just another in an increasingly long list of our president’s embarrassing and offensive actions. And while Trump and his administration may now be attempting to take control the narrative, they’re simply too late and need to be held accountable for this “shithole” of an international incident they’ve created.