The White House sought Monday to defend a presidential tweet that’s being blasted by immigrants’ rights groups as openly racist. The April 18 tweet was one of many recent attacks by President Trump on sanctuary cities that seek to protect undocumented immigrants. It read, “There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept.” This is White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders being questioned Monday by reporters Jim Acosta and April Ryan.

Jim Acosta: “When he used the word 'breeding,' was he making a derogatory term about Latinos in California, that they breed a lot or that they’re prone to breeding? Was he talking about”—

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “No, he’s talking about the problem itself growing and getting bigger.”

April Ryan: “What does 'breeding' mean to this president? Because when you think of breeding, you think of animals breeding, populating.”

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “I’m not going to begin to think what you think.”

April Ryan: “But can you tell us what the president thought?”

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “Certainly, I think that it can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. But the president is talking about a growing problem. And I addressed that with Jim. I don’t have anything else to add.”