House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks denounced Rep. Mike Collins for likening Haiti to a “sh*thole” country on social media, echoing the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump.
“It’s insulting. It’s ignorant,” Meeks (D-N.Y.) told reporters Tuesday. “That statement, in my opinion, is asinine.”
At issue was a post from Collins’ account on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which he responded to a post featuring pictures of the ongoing chaos in the country: “Some might call it a sh*thole.”
Collins did not immediately respond with comment on Meeks’ criticism.
Flashback: Trump infamously referred to African countries, Haiti and El Salvador as “shithole” nations in 2018, prompting condemnation across the political spectrum and around the globe.
Meeks wasn’t the only Democrat to jump on Collins’ (R-Ga.) post.
“That kind of a comment displays the kind of contrast of how Democrats look at foreign affairs … versus those who just want to demean those who are suffering these things,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) said during the Democratic caucus’ weekly presser.
On crisis in Haiti: Meeks welcomed the resignation of embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Tuesday following weeks of chaos and unrest in the country.
“He really was not elected by anyone and seemed to be a distraction,” the New York Democrat said. “So I thought it was significant and important for him to step down.”
Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.
