Trump Hits Back At Obama: ‘I Have More Foreign Policy Experience Than Virtually Anybody’
Donald Trump received some jabs from President Obama this weekend, and though the New York billionaire reportedly said the jokes at his expense were “fine,” he came out swinging today, attempting to counter Obama’s assertion that Trump’s foreign policy experience was, well, limited.
“They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be president. But in fairness he has spent years meeting with leaders from around the world: Miss Sweden, Miss Argentina, Miss Azerbaijan,” President Obama joked during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday.
The joke at Donald Trump’s expense may not have been taken as well as Trump himself claimed – the Republican frontrunner came out today with some tough words for his opponents, lauding his own foreign policy experience, which he claims is more extensive than anyone else currently in the race, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Trump says he has more foreign policy experience than "virtually anybody looking at this office," including Clinton. https://t.co/kRiBwexq8Q
— Jenna Johnson (@wpjenna) May 2, 2016
“Hillary Clinton dealt with other countries, too. And one thing I give her credit for, she did a lot of traveling. But look at the results – Syria, Benghazi. Look at her results. All of those results are terrible, I’ve made a fortune going out of this country. I’ve made tremendous amounts of money dealing outside of this country,” Donald Trump said during a CNN interview today.
Trump went on to describe his own foreign policy experience, which many critics have found lacking. According to the Republican frontrunner himself, his experience as a foreign policy expert is plain to see: his thriving business empire is a testament, Trump says, to his acumen as an international negotiator and an expert on foreign policy, reports the Washington Post.
“I have tremendous success dealing very successfully with other countries. Right now, we have hundreds of deals being negotiated all over the world by my company, and I deal with presidents, I deal with prime ministers. I deal with everybody. I probably have more experience than virtually anybody looking at this office,” Donald Trump said Monday morning.
Former Pentagon chief rips Trump's foreign policy https://t.co/kUNNQdsmBD pic.twitter.com/mhObiUF594
— The Hill (@thehill) May 2, 2016
After last week’s foreign policy speech, Donald Trump continues to face questions about his ability to understand and shape American foreign policy – including the role it plays in international diplomacy, not just in the boardroom. But Monday morning, Donald Trump affirmed his belief in his own foreign policy experience, despite detractors. During an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo this morning, Donald Trump repeatedly stated that the jokes at his expense made by President Obama were “fine” and criticized Cuomo for suggesting that he would face “pushback” over his claim to have more foreign policy experience than Hillary Clinton, reports Talking Points Memo.
“Let me tell you, I’m not getting pushback. What’s pushback? You mean something I said ten second ago? You’re creating phony pushback,” Donald Trump said to CNN’s Chris Cuomo this morning.
Trump seized the opportunity to criticize the press, hitting back against Cuomo for what amounted to an honest question. Claiming the press is “dishonest,” Trump went on to describe how reports from the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner were false – reports that claimed Trump was embarrassed, humiliated by the experience.
Trump says he was "fine" with President Obama's White House Correspondents' Dinner smackdown https://t.co/ZkCOuQgWMd pic.twitter.com/T2UPwipZXt
— CNN (@CNN) May 2, 2016
“The press is very dishonest, they don’t report the truth, and therefore it’s easier just not to go,” said Donald Trump.
Cuomo hit back, pushing Donald Trump on the point. Trump continued to deny that he had anything but a good time back in 2011, when he was reportedly humiliated by the jokes at his expense.
“So that’s why you didn’t go? Because you felt that it wouldn’t be reported accurately?” Chris Cuomo asked.
“No, because I felt that I will have a great time if I go – I would have loved to have gone. I felt that I would have a great time if I go, but no matter how great a time I would have it wouldn’t matter. They will say ‘Donald Trump was humiliated,’ ” said Trump during an interview with CNN this morning.
[Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]
