Tuesday May 1, 2018
By Brett Samuels
President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari arrive for a news conference in the White House Rose Garden in Washington, April 30, 2018.
President Trump on Monday said there’s “no reason” to apologize for his rhetoric toward immigrants during the 2016 presidential campaign, even as that rhetoric has drawn renewed scrutiny thanks to a lawsuit over his proposed travel ban.
“There’s no reason to apologize. Our immigration laws in this country are a total disaster,” Trump said during a joint press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
“They're laughed at, all over the world, they’re laughed at for their total stupidity,” he added.
Trump was asked if he’d apologize for his campaign rhetoric about immigrants if it could help end a lawsuit challenging his proposed travel ban. Trump said he didn't think an apology would matter, adding later, "I think if I apologized it wouldn’t make 10 cents worth of difference to [opponents of the travel ban.]”
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump called for a full ban on Muslims from entering the country, suggested Mexico was sending “rapists” and “criminals” across the border, and questioned if a judge with Mexican heritage could be impartial.
He largely used the opportunity Monday to address the need for changes to U.S. immigration laws, which he has done frequently in recent months.
"We’re doing the best we can with it, but we have to have changes in Congress and we have to have it quickly," Trump said.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case over Trump's travel ban last week.
The latest policy, issued by a presidential proclamation, initially limited travel into the United States by people from Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen and Chad, though the White House announced earlier this month it was dropping Chad from the list.
A point of contention in the lawsuit is whether Trump’s campaign statements and tweets during his presidency prove his proclamation was based on an animus towards Muslims.