A Republican senator from Alabama co-signed former president Donald Trump’s words about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of the United States, saying that the former president and Republican frontrunner for the party’s nomination for president did not go far enough.
Sen Tommy Tuberville told The Independent that Mr Trump’s words were too timid when discussing migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border.
“I’m mad he wasn’t tougher than that because you’re seeing what’s happening on the border? We’re being overrun,” Mr Tuberville told The Independent.
Mr Tuberville, who endorsed Mr Trump for re-election, made the remarks after Mr Trump spoke in New Hampshire about migration degrading the United States in extreme terms.
“They’re poisoning the blood of the country. That’s what they’ve done,” the former president said. “They poison mental institutions and prisons all over the world. Not just in South America. Not just the three or four countries we think about. But all over the world they’re coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia.”
Mr Tuberville has come under fire in the past for his defence of white nationalists serving in the US military, saying in response to a question from CNN host Kaitlan Collins that white nationalists are people who believe white people are superior, “Well, that’s some people’s opinion.”
Other Republicans dodged when asked about Mr Trump’s response.
“I'm not going to comment,” Sen Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told The Independent. “I'm just avoiding commenting on the former president.”
Sen Susan Collins of Maine called Mr Trump’s words “deplorable.”
“That was horrible that those comments are just they have no place, particularly from a former president,” Ms Collins told The Independent.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune also criticised the remarks.
“My grandfather was an immigrant,” he told The Independent. “And we're a nation of immigrants. But we're a nation of laws. We have to enforce our borders.”
The remarks come as Republican senators continue to demand restrictions on immigration in exchange for aid to Ukraine.
