President Donald Trump ordered a CNN correspondent out of a meeting at the Oval Office Tuesday, after the reporter asked whether the president believes immigration should be based on race.

The incident took place during a press briefing in the Oval Office, as President Trump met with Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

During the press briefing, CNN’s chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta peppered President Trump with a series of racially-charged questions relating to allegations by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin that the president had lamented that a disproportionate number of immigrants to the US came from “sh**hole countries”.

President Trump and others present during the meeting later denied the claim that the president had used the language suggested by Senator Durbin.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Acosta pressed for Trump’s attention, calling out “Mr. President” three times, before asking whether the president had, as Senator Durbin claimed, suggested that he would more immigration from Scandinavian countries.

“Did you say that you want more people to come in from Norway? Did you say that you wanted more people from Norway? Is that true Mr. President?”

The president responded by saying that he wants “them to come in from everywhere, everywhere.”

As the president appeared to signal the end of the question and answer segment, Acosta became more explicit, asking whether President Trump believes America should limit immigration solely to “Caucasian or white countries”.

“Just Caucasian or white countries, sir? Or do you want people to come in from other parts of the world… people of color?”

At that point, the president asked Acosta to leave the room, telling him “out”, before directing his attention to a White House staffer who informed reporters that the meeting had ended.