The White House has not denied US President Donald Trump labelled some countries "shitholes" during a meeting on immigration protections.
The Washington Post reported Mr Trump became frustrated after politicians floated reinstating protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as part of a bipartisan deal.
According to two people briefed on the meeting Mr Trump said:
"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?"
It was reported he then suggested the US bring in more people from countries like Norway.
Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office yesterday.
When asked about whether Mr Trump made the comments, White House spokesman Raj Shah neither confirmed nor denied the remarks.
"Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people," he said.
"The President will only accept and immigration deal that adequately addresses the visa lottery system and chain migration, two programs that hurt our economy and allow terrorists into our country.
"Like other nations that have merit-based immigration, President Trump is fighting for permanent solutions that make our country stronger by welcoming those who can contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation.
"He will always reject temporary, weak and dangerous stopgap measures that threaten the lives of hardworking Americans, and undercut immigrants who seek a better life in the United States through a legal pathway."
It follows a handful of inflammatory comments made by Mr Trump about other countries.
In one of his first tweets of 2018, he lashed out at Pakistan saying the US had "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $US33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while getting nothing in return.
He also added fuel to tensions with North Korea saying his "nuclear button" was "much bigger and more powerful" than Kim Jong-un's.
