Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera ripped former President Donald Trump for claiming that undocumented immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country. Rivera also slammed a Trump spokespersons claim that the phrase is used in everyday life as absolute bulls**t.

I think its vile. I think its disgusting. Its very disappointing, Rivera told CNN s Abby Phillip about Trumps comment in a video shared online by Mediaite .

To sink to that level, its for me a personal embarrassment that we were friends for so long, he continued. This language is racist, it is really disgusting, and, you know, some things cannot abide. We cannot abide certain things and he has crossed the line. I beseech his followers to listen to what he said about poison blood.

The Nazis used similar poisonous rhetoric, Rivera noted.

I hate to use Nazi or Hitler references, but it is impossible to miss the obvious parallels, he said. Poison blood, it was a direct reference. He made a direct reference that the migrants, the immigrants, mostly Latinos now, may I say, are poisoning, polluting the blood of real Americans. It is intolerable. I mean its absolutely beyond the pale.

A spokesperson for Trump downplayed the comment, claiming it was a normal phrase that is used in everyday life.

Rivera told Phillip: Excuse me, I apologize to you and your audience, but I have to say that the spokesmans excuse was absolute bullshit.

It is lowdown and dirty, he added. Give me a break.