President Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he is “the least racist person there is anywhere in the world,” standing by his comments on the city of Baltimore and his attacks against Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD). Trump previously called Cummings’ district in the city “rat-infested” and said it “is FAR WORSE and more dangerous” than the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump claimed he has received a slew of phone calls from Baltimore residents who are purported to be grateful for the president’s comments, saying: “Those people are living in hell in Baltimore. They’re largely African American... They really appreciate it.” According to Trump, the real racist is civil-rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, whom Trump previously worked with and “got along with.” The president recently called Sharpton a “con man, a troublemaker, always looking for a score... Hates Whites & Cops!”

The sentiment behind Trump’s comments is not new—he previously said he didn’t have “a racist bone” in his body, following criticism over his racist tweets about several Democratic congresswomen of color.