Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani made a "horrible" statement when he claimed President Barack Obama does not love America, the White House said on Thursday.

Politico published Giuliani's comments, which came during a private New York group dinner featuring Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and "and about 60 right-leaning business executives and conservative media types."

"I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America," Giuliani said. "He doesn't love you and he doesn't love me. He wasn't brought up the way you were brought up, and I was brought up through love of this country."

Giuliani said he approved of Walker's patriotic credentials and might support the governor if Republicans chose him as their 2016 presidential nominee.

"With all our flaws we're the most exceptional country in the world. I'm looking for a presidential candidate who can express that, do that and carry it out," he said. "And if it's you Scott, I'll endorse you. And if it's somebody else, I'll support somebody else."

Democrats denounced the mayor's comments as offensive and called on Walker and other presidential hopefuls to do the same, according to the Huffington Post.

"I rarely agreed with President (George W.) Bush, but I never questioned his love for our country," said Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who chairs the Democratic National Committee.

Walker, meanwhile, said Giuliani's remarks may simply be attributable to the stereotypical local attitude.

"The mayor can speak for himself. I'm not going to comment on what the president thinks or not," the governor said. "I'm in New York. I'm used to people saying things that are aggressive."

Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz added he would not "pile on from here," Talking Points Memo reported. Despite this, he could not help but remark on Giuliani's failed campaign for the White House. The spokesman referred to the effort as a "fleeting ... run for the presidency."

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