President Donald Trump has recently been under fire due to crude comments he allegedly made about Haiti and countries in Africa, reportedly calling them “shithole countries.” While these alleged comments were both incredibly offensive and ignorant, inappropriate comments are nothing new from Trump. Before he was president, he had been in the spotlight for quite some time and accrued a seemingly never-ending list of crude comments and quotes. With an ego bigger than the U.S. itself, Trump has unsurprisingly said some incredibly insensitive things. As the president of our country, he makes me feel embarrassed and ashamed with his comments. Trump, it’s time you learned how to bite your tongue. 

As I said before, the list of inexcusable language used by Trump is extensive. However, as a young woman myself, I’d like to start with the things Trump has said about women. It’s no secret that women are one of Trump’s main “interests,” as well as a popular topic of discussion for him. In a 1991 interview with Esquire magazine on media scrutiny, Trump was quoted saying, “You know, it doesn’t really matter what (the media) write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.” While this is both disgusting and incredibly unprofessional, this is only one of the many questionable things Trump has said about women, including female politicians, celebrities and even his own daughter. In a 2005 recording obtained by The Washington Post, Trump can even be heard saying, “It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” Yes, the leader of our country actually said that, and his comments further in the transcript are almost too vulgar to put in print. 

Trump has also made his feelings on multiple minority groups very clear; from race to religion, he has said it all. In the 1991 book “Trumped!” by John O’Donnell and James Rutherford, O’Donnell recalls a conversation in which Trump called laziness a “trait in blacks.” He allegedly went on to say, “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.” He has also said many questionable things about followers of Islam, and during his candidacy he promised a complete ban of immigrating Muslims. At a 2015 rally in South Carolina, he was recorded mocking a disabled reporter. 

Lastly, he has said many childish things about other politicians. He is now known for giving Kim Jong-un the name “Rocket man,” and on Nov. 11, 2017, he tweeted, “Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me ‘old,’ when I would NEVER call him ‘short and fat?’ Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend – and maybe someday that will happen!”

While these are only a few instances on the long list Trump has accumulated, they show a very real reality: Trump is our president, yet he is unable to speak with eloquence or simple respect. Yes, before Trump is a president, he is a person. And yes, he is allowed to have his opinions. However, opinions can be said in ways that are not offensive and crude. Better yet, they can be kept to oneself. The U.S. has always prided itself on being a melting pot, yet Trump is keen on constantly saying rude things about those who make our country diverse. Given that he is a world leader, I expect more from him. I hope that Trump will soon learn how to bite his tongue. It’s time that our president represents us in a way that is dignified and professional, not childish and ignorant.