--- title: Conan O'Brien Gave Haitians a Chance to Fire Back at Trump description: In the wake of reports that Trump referred to Haiti as a “shithole" country, Conan O'Brien decided to find out what Haitians think about Trump. canonical: https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-24T16:05:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:47:30.361Z og:title: Conan Gave Haitians the Chance to Fire Back at Trump og:description: "Every time you leave your country you make America great again" og:url: https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt628e41a90278ccac/6988f954db2987495b25e81b/screen-shot-2018-01-24-at-10-13-42-am.png?branch=production&width=1181&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1181 og:image:height: 664 og:image:alt: Conan-in-Haiti og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Conan Gave Haitians the Chance to Fire Back at Trump twitter:description: "Every time you leave your country you make America great again" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt628e41a90278ccac/6988f954db2987495b25e81b/screen-shot-2018-01-24-at-10-13-42-am.png?branch=production&width=1181&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Conan O'Brien Gave Haitians a Chance to Fire Back at Trump for That 'Shithole Countries' Comment > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=2cf6ec56-80f9-4ed6-8e4d-6aa1fee9aab6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Twice a week | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=2cf6ec56-80f9-4ed6-8e4d-6aa1fee9aab6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=2cf6ec56-80f9-4ed6-8e4d-6aa1fee9aab6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=2cf6ec56-80f9-4ed6-8e4d-6aa1fee9aab6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Responses to President Trump's 'Shithole Countries' Comment [Watch (HLS stream): Responses to President Trump's 'Shithole Countries' Comment](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FZ4fu9i8.m3u8) (1:53)  _Published 2018-01-12. President Donald Trump reportedly singled out Haiti, El Salvador and parts of Africa as “shithole countries” during a rant about immigration Thursday._  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Jan 24, 2018 4:05 PM UTC President Donald Trump reportedly singled out Haiti, El Salvador and parts of Africa as “shithole countries” during a rant about immigration Thursday.  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Jan 24, 2018 4:05 PM UTC In the wake of reports that [President Donald Trump](http://time.com/5115152/mike-pompeo-cia-intelligence-briefings/) referred to [Haiti](http://time.com/5100217/mia-love-donald-trump-shithole-remark/), El Salvador and some parts of Africa as “[shithole countries](http://time.com/5100058/donald-trump-shithole-countries/?xid=homepage)” in a recent White House meeting about immigration, Conan O’Brien decided to find out what Haitians think about Trump. In a preview clip for the full Haiti episode — which will air on Saturday, Jan. 27 — that was shown on Monday’s installment of _Conan_, the late night host asked a number of Haitians to share their opinion on America’s current commander-in-chief. “Mr. Trump, please come visit Haiti because every time you leave your country you make America great again,” one man joked. “We have beautiful golf courses here, Mr. President,” another added. “Please come cheat on them.” This wisecrack was followed by a woman who seemed be on board with the push for [Oprah Winfrey to run for president](http://time.com/5092552/oprah-golden-globes-president/) in 2020\. “I want to send a message of love to the leader of America — Oprah, we love you!” she exclaimed. Watch the full clip below. ## Transcript [ CROSSTALK ] Let's not kid ourselves. Let's not pretend or dance around it. The sentiment the President expressed today is a racist sentiment. Personally, as someone from south shithole, I'm offended, Mr. President. [ LAUGH ] [ APPLAUSE ] Okay, I'm offended. [ APPLAUSE ] I think the President's comments Were ugly. I think they were disgusting. I think they were repulsive. I think they degraded the office of the President. The President of the United States of America, like we expect more of him. We expect him to be an example. We are growing democracies, and our We don't expect such remarks . >> I'm sorry but there's no other word one can use but racist. You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as shitholes whose entire populations who are not white are therefore not welcome . >> I read those comments later last night. So first thing that came to my mind was Very unfortunate, unhelpful. I'm not surprised, cause I mean Donald Trump, we've always known that he is a racist. But the thing is that people need to realize is that that he is just trying to distract from all the stuff that's happening to him. I think he's the shithole in this scenario. and I think he should probably just stop saying these childish things. do you think this president is racist? Yeah, I do. I think at this point, the evidence is uncontroveritable. It's right there. I can hear them now telling me" Don, didn't mean that. Donald isn't a racist ." Just people who don't know him. " I think it was taken out of context, I'm not sure ." How many examples do you need of this? But he is a racist ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/"},"headline":"Conan O'Brien Gave Haitians a Chance to Fire Back at Trump for That 'Shithole Countries' Comment","datePublished":"2018-01-24T16:05:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T08:47:30.361Z","description":"\"Every time you leave your country you make America great again\"","url":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","Conan O'brien","TV","Late Night Television","conan"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt628e41a90278ccac/6988f954db2987495b25e81b/screen-shot-2018-01-24-at-10-13-42-am.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt628e41a90278ccac/6988f954db2987495b25e81b/screen-shot-2018-01-24-at-10-13-42-am.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Conan-in-Haiti","caption":"","creditText":"TBS","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/","name":"Conan O'Brien Gave Haitians a Chance to Fire Back at Trump for That 'Shithole Countries' Comment"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Responses to President Trump's 'Shithole Countries' Comment","description":"President Donald Trump reportedly singled out Haiti, El Salvador and parts of Africa as “shithole countries” during a rant about immigration Thursday.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/FZ4fu9i8/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-01-12T19:18:48.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FZ4fu9i8.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/","duration":"PT1M53S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5116276/conan-o-brien-haiti-trump-shithole-countries/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```