--- title: John McCain Responds To Donald Trump 'Shithole' Comment description: John McCain called out President Trump on Twitter for his "shithole" comment, accusing him of not respecting the dignity of some immigrants canonical: https://time.com/5101496/donald-trump-john-mccain-immigration-comments/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-12T19:43:01.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T18:52:00.351Z article:section: Politics og:title: John McCain Decries Donald Trump's 'Shithole' Comment og:description: McCain said America should "respect for the God-given dignity of every human being" og:url: https://time.com/5101496/donald-trump-john-mccain-immigration-comments/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb01d1a092000ae3f/6988f808cf40a82f8ac4aec3/gettyimages-903922140.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: President Trump Holds Roundtable On Prison Reform In Roosevelt Room Of White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: John McCain Decries Donald Trump's 'Shithole' Comment twitter:description: McCain said America should "respect for the God-given dignity of every human being" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb01d1a092000ae3f/6988f808cf40a82f8ac4aec3/gettyimages-903922140.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # John McCain Decries Donald Trump's 'Shithole' Comment  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Jan 12, 2018 7:43 PM UTC  U.S. President Donald Trump leads a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, on Jan. 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump leads a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, on Jan. 11, 2018 in Washington, DC.Mark Wilson—Getty Images  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Jan 12, 2018 7:43 PM UTC Arizona Sen. John McCain called out President Trump on Twitter for his [“shithole” comment](http://time.com/5100741/dick-durbin-donald-trump-immigration-meeting/?xid=homepage), accusing him of not respecting the dignity of certain immigrants. McCain tweeted Friday that “respect for the God-given dignity of every human being, no matter their race, ethnicity or other circumstances of their birth, is the essence of American patriotism.” He said Trump, who questioned during an immigration meeting why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and “shithole countries” in Africa, should respect that idea. (Trump has [denied using that term](http://time.com/5100480/donald-trump-daca-tweets/?xid=homepage).) > [](https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/951892337692684291) > [](https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/951892536116817921) Trump’s comment came during a meeting with lawmakers at the White House Thursday to try to come to a bipartisan immigration deal. 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