Trump defends ‘animals’ barbs

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has defended his use of the word “animals” to describe some immigrants who enter the country illegally, saying he would continue to use the term to refer to violent gang members despite a sharp rebuke from Democratic leaders.

Answering a reporter’s question during a meeting on Thursday with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, Trump said his comment a day earlier had been directed at members of the MS-13 gang.

“MS-13, these are animals coming onto our country,” Trump repeated. “When the MS-13 comes in, when the other gang members come into our country, I refer to them as animals. And guess what? I always will.”

Trump has been under fire for comments he made Wednesday while railing against California for its so-called sanctuary immigration policies. Trump was speaking at a round-table with local California officials when he responded to a comment that had referenced MS-13.

“We have people coming into the country, or trying to come in – and we’re stopping a lot of them,” Trump said after Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims complained about state restrictions that limit co-operation with federal immigration authorities. “You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people. These are animals.”

Trump has repeatedly referred to members of the violent street gang as “animals” in speeches, rallies and at White House events. He has also used the term to describe terrorists and school shooters.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, responded on Twitter, saying: “When all of our great-great-grandparents came to America they weren’t ‘animals’, and these people aren’t either.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, said: “Every day that you think you’ve seen it all, along comes another manifestation of why their policies are so inhumane.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said on Friday that politicians who criticised Trump for using the word owed him an apology. – Ap/african News Agency (ANA)