President Barack Obama said Tuesday that he routinely has to respond to foreign leaders who are concerned about the statements businessman Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas have made in their quest to secure the Republican presidential nomination, adding that it has damaged America’s standing overseas.
“I am getting questions constantly from foreign leaders about some of the wackier suggestions that are being made,” the president told reporters, adding that the concern is not just focused on Trump’s policy proposals but also those offered by Cruz, “which in some ways are just as draconian, when it comes to immigration.”
Obama, who initially responded to a question about the GOP frontrunner with an expression that combined faux horror and a smile – “Oh no, it’s Trump,” he said – proceeded to critique Trump’s latest proposal to finance a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico by threatening to halt billions of dollars in payments that Mexican immigrants send back home.
“This is just one more example of something that is not thought through,” he said of Trump’s plan. “The notion that we are going to track every … bit of money that’s sent to Mexico [through Western Union], good luck with that.”
The fact that these policy proposals are being rolled out on the campaign trail, the president argued, was now exacting a diplomatic cost.
“They don’t expect half-baked notions coming out of the White House,” Obama said. “We can’t afford that.”
Asked to elaborate on the president’s comments later, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said some of the sessions Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are having with their counterparts overseas “are clouded by these statements.”
“It makes those meetings less productive than they would otherwise be,” Earnest said, and, as a result, there are “questions that are raised in the minds of world leaders about what the United States stand for.”
“It’s harmful,” Earnest said. “It’s damaging.”
(c) 2016, The Washington Post · Juliet Eilperin
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
guess what, mr obama? we, the general public, who far outnumber the ‘foreign leaders”, are also getting questions constantly over some of the wackier suggestions YOU are making as our esteemed leader!
Why would they eleven ask the Obama unless he is minding everyone’s business and not his own
“I am getting questions constantly from foreign leaders about some of the wackier suggestions that are being made,”
“This is just one more example of something that is not thought through,” –
“They don’t expect half-baked notions coming out of the White House,” “We can’t afford that.” –
as a result, there are “questions that are raised in the minds of world leaders about what the United States stand for.” –
“It’s harmful,” Earnest said. “It’s damaging.”
ALL of the above can be (and IS) just as easily said about the Obama administration policies!
Sounds like the foreign leaders are getting confused. They haven’t heard such moral clarity & decisive action in almost 8 yrs
Just another lie from Obama hoping to defeat his enemy trump
Does it make any sense that foreign leaders are concerned with the strict immigration laws that’ll be in place if a Republican candidate wins the election?! Foreign leaders want their citizens to stay put where they are!
Obama doesn’t mention who asked him. I think this has not happened. He is trying to influence the outcome of the elections. It’s a lie and a manipulation.