Maryland Pastor Slams Trump Right In Front Of Mike Pence

LARGO, MD — Vice President Mike Pence probably ended up regretting his decision to attend a church service in the D.C. suburb of Prince George's County, Maryland, on Sunday following his boss's comments about "s---hole countries" like Haiti and African nations. Prince George's County is the first metropolitan area in the country to shift from majority white to majority black population with income and education levels that increased.

As Pence and his wife, Karen, sat in the front pew of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Largo, he got an earful from the church's pastor, Dr. Maurice Watson (video is embedded at the bottom of this article). "It is alleged that a hurtful, dehumanizing, visceral, guttural, ugly adjective that I cannot repeat in church, was allegedly used to characterize some of the nations of Africa," Watson said.

While Watson never mentioned Trump by name, it was clear that he was referring to the president's reported comments at a closed-door meeting with senators in which he complained that people from "s---hole countries" like Haiti and African countries were being allowed into the country, rather than people from what he deemed as desirable countries like Norway. The comments set off a firestorm of criticism, although Trump and two Republican senators have denied he used that word.

"A statement was made that we ought to welcome people from Norway more than we should welcome people from Haiti," Watson said in his sermon, mere feet away from the vice president. "I stand here today as your pastor to vehemently denounce and reject such characterizations. Whoever said it is wrong, and they ought to be held accountable. You are owed an apology, but you probably won't get one."

Watson got a big ovation from the diverse congregation, which includes people of both African and Haitian descent.

Local news station WUSA9 reports that Pence was "red-faced" during Watson's pointed remarks. Pence was attending the church to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Watson said on CNN Monday night that he did not make the comments because Pence was in attendance.

"As a pastor, I have to speak up for my people," he said. "And the vice president just happened to have been there."

Trump supporters were not happy, registering their disapproval on the church's Facebook page and calling the pastor's comments "hateful."

"I guess African-American unemployment being at an all-time low just isn't good enough for you?" wrote Franklin Sturgis of Midland, Texas. "Just another Democrat Party stooge posing as a minister. That's a money maker for some."

"Yet it is OK for people all across the world including Haiti and Africa to take advantage of our laws and our rights by coming here illegally and overstaying their visas and yet do any of you self-righteous do gooders speak on this? not a peep," wrote Serenity Leann Jones of Killeen, Texas.

You can watch video of Watson's comments below:

Image via the White House