Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., is pushing back on reports that claim President Donald Trump used a derogatory term to describe some countries last week, saying there was a "gross misrepresentation" of what was actually said during the bipartisan White House meeting.
"What we have going on here right now is a gross misrepresentation. This all started with a total misrepresentation of the meeting that happened last Thursday," Perdue said during an appearance on ABC's "This Week."
The saga began when Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Trump characterized Haiti and certain African nations as "s***hole countries" following last Thursday's meeting that was centered on immigration reform.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told him Durbin's recollection of Trump's comments were "basically accurate."
On Sunday, Perdue told ABC's George Stephanopoulos Durbin has used this ploy in the past.
"The gross misrepresentation was that language was used in there that was not used. And also, that the tone of that meeting was not contributory and not constructive," said Perdue, who noted there were six people in the meeting.
"In 2013, Sen. Durbin also made the same accusation against a Republican leader in a meeting with President Obama … said he chewed out the president. It was so disrespectful that President Obama couldn't even have the meeting. That's what he said in 2013. Later that day, the president's own press secretary came out and said, and I quote, 'It did not happen.'"
Later in the interview, Stephanopoulos asked Perdue to definitively say that Durbin was lying.
"I'm saying that this is a gross misrepresentation," he said. "It's not the first time Sen. Durbin has done it. It's not productive to solving the problem."
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