Trumps performance with foreign press a chilling preview of major geopolitical upheaval

[Bill USA]

http://shareblue.com/trumps-interviews-with-foreign-press-are-chilling-preview-of-major-geopolitical-upheaval/

The Donald Trump administration is setting up the United States for a major shift in foreign policy — one that stands to make us considerably less safe and secure than we have been under President Barack Obama’s leadership.

His admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised alarms; his antagonism of China and Mexico could trigger major diplomatic breakdowns leading to trade wars; foreign intelligence communities have reason to be increasingly wary of sharing information with us; and Trump’s recent comments in a joint interview with the Times of London and Germany’s Bild newspaper threaten to destroy important relationships that protect us from harm.

In his interview with the Times and Bild, Trump criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying he was not sure if he could trust her or Putin more. He suggested imposing new tariffs on German car companies that do not build factories in the United States as Japanese manufacturers have done. He also openly declared that NATO is “obsolete.”

video url: http://shareblue.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Trump-TOL-excerpts.mp4?_=1

TRUMP: I thought the U.K. was so smart in getting out. And, you were there, and you guys wrote it and put it on the front page

REPORTER: Yes.

TRUMP: “Trump said that Brexit was going to happen.”

REPORTER: Yes.

TRUMP: Right? And it happened.

REPORTER: Yes.

TRUMP: That was when I was going to lose easily, you know, everybody thought I was crazy. Obama said, “they’ll go to the back of the line.” Meaning, if it does happen. And then he had to retract. That was a bad statement.

REPORTER: And now we’re at the front of the queue.

TRUMP: I think you’re doing great. I think it’s going great.

REPORTER: Who do you trust more, if you talk to them: Angela Merkel or Vladimir Putin?

TRUMP: Well, I start off trusting both, but let’s see how long that lasts. It may not last long at all. And I said a long time ago that NATO had problems. Number one, it was obsolete, because it was, you know, designed many, many years ago. Number 2, the countries weren’t paying what they’re supposed to pay.

[dalton99a]

1. He's clay in Putin's hands.