Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi told U.S. senators Wednesday that anti-Semitic remarks he made in a 2010 had been overblown by the U.S. media.

He recently came under fire when it came to light that he called Jews "bloodsuckers" and "the descendents of apes and pigs" three years ago.

That angered the U.S. government, so a group of senators traveled to Egypt to meet with Morsi last week to address the matter.

Foreign Policy magazine reported in its blog The Cable that Morsi told them the U.S. media is only making such a big deal of his comments because it is controlled by the Jews.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who was in the meeting, said while Morsi did not use the phrase "the Jews," it was obvious to all the senators that's what he meant.