After President Donald Trump's reported comments on Haiti and Africa, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson must "take to the microphone today" to explain the importance of those and other countries, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said on MSNBC Friday.
"As a senior member of the United States Congress, a separate and equal branch of government, a senior member on the immigration committee and homeland security, I want to say to Haiti and to Africa, and to those so-called s-hole countries that were spoken by the commander-in-chief of this nation, that I apologize," Jackson Lee said, referring to the comments attributed to Trump.
"My other point is that I expect for the Secretary of State, Secretary Tillerson, to take to the microphone today and to explain to the world what our policies are with respect to Haiti, those under the TPS, Honduras, Haiti, El Salvador. Those countries reflected by the Dreamers such as Jamaica and Mexico and many other countries. And, as well, to explain the importance, the strategic importance of Africa. And the Africa command and the heads of state. If he does not do that, that undermines what we have been listening to the very core values of America."
Jackson Lee then questioned the lack of response from Republican leaders in Congress.
"I am the granddaughter of immigrants. Where is [House] Speaker [Paul] Ryan? Where is [Senate Majority Speaker Mitch] McConnell? Not for Republican politics, but for the leadership role, the patriotic role in which they hold on this nation. I am outraged… I believe that this is a direct evidence of the instability of this president and actions need to be taken as relate to that instability."
Ryan said Friday that Trump's comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful," according to CNN, while McConnell has yet to address the subject, as of Friday afternoon.
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