WASHINGTON: The United States Secretary of Homeland Security has testified that she did not hear President Donald Trump use a vulgar term in a meeting with lawmakers about immigration last week.
Trump was reported to make a derogatory remark against African, Haitian and El Salvadorian immigrants during a meeting at the Oval Office in White House.
"You were in the room, you're under oath," pointed out Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, the senator from Vermont. "Did President Trump use this word or a substantially similar word to describe certain countries?"
"I did not hear that word used, no sir," DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen responded in what was an, at times, contentious Senate hearing with two of the senators who were also in that meeting.
"That is not the question," Leahy shot back. "Did he use anything similar to that describing certain countries?"
"The conversation was very impassioned. I don't dispute the president was using tough language. Others in the room were also using tough language."
However, she didn't elaborate what that tough language was.
Earlier on Jan 15, Trump said he was "not a racist" and categorically denied having made those remarks.
"I'm not a racist. I am the least racist person you have ever interviewed, that I can tell you," Trump was quoted as telling reporters by New York Times, at Trump International Golf Club.