After reports surfaced that Donald Trump referred to the country of Haiti as a “shithole,” countless of Americans stood up defending the proud and beautiful country, including Anderson Cooper.

“Let me be clear tonight,” Anderson said, “the people of Haiti have been through more — they’ve been through more, they’ve withstood more, they fought back against more injustice than our president ever has.”

“Like all countries, Haiti is a collection of people — rich and poor, well educated and not, good and bad. But I’ve never met a Haitian who isn’t strong,” Cooper said. “You have to be to survive in a place where the government has often abandoned its people. Where opportunities are few and where Mother Nature has punished the people far more than anyone should ever be punished.”

The newsman began to choke up as footage of the children he met flashed on-screen.

“I was there when a young girl named Bee who’d been trapped in rubble for nearly a day was rescued by people who had no heavy equipment, they just had their God-given strength and their determination, and their courage,” Cooper said. “I was there when a 5-year-old boy named Monley was rescued after being buried for more than seven days. Do you know what strength it takes to survive on rainwater buried under concrete — a 5-year-old boy buried for seven days?”

“Let me be clear…. the people of Haiti have been through more, withstood more, fought back against more injustice… than our President ever has” Anderson Cooper choked back tears as he reflected on his relationship with Haiti, and its people https://t.co/3arEalkKOM

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) January 12, 2018