Discussing the overnight resignation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, CNN’s David Gregory managed this morning to work in a broad swipe at the president. Gregory claimed that “the fledgling foreign policy in the Trump administration [has] been a disaster.”
Really? Gregory ignored: the widely-praised, weekend-long meetings that Trump just concluded with Japanese PM Abe; Trump’s positive conversation with Chinese Premier Xi and the confirmation of the One China policy; the re-establishment of the special relationship with the UK and its PM May, and of course the healing of ties with Israel after years of Obama animosity culminating in his perpetration of an anti-Israel Security Council resolution.
So on what basis did Gregory claim that Trump’s foreign policy has been a “disaster?” Gregory cited the rollout of the executive order on immigration, President Trump’s offering of “comfort” to nationalist politicians in Europe, and “ongoing questions” about the relationship with Russia.
The rollout was rocky, but Trump’s authority on the matter will ultimately be vindicated, and most Americans support tighter controls on immigration, particularly from countries known to foster terrorism.
Yes, President Trump has praised Brexit and one of its architects, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. So? A majority of Britons voted for Brexit! As for other nationalist leaders in Europe, they have been buoyed by Trump’s election, but that in no way means that Trump supports any particular policies of theirs. And it’s not exactly as if Europe, under its old-regime parties, has been a smashing success of late when it comes to the economy or the fight against domestic terrorism.
Regarding Russia, by what calculus does Gregory equate “ongoing questions” with a “disaster?”
In contrast, does anyone remember Gregory ever labeling President Obama’s foreign policy a “disaster,” despite his failures in dealing with Syria, Iran, Libya, Russia, and Israel? And it was, of course, Obama’s precipitous retreat from Iraq, leaving behind no forces, that led to the rise of ISIS. We got your disaster right here, David.
DAVID GREGORY: General Flynn has been controversial. He’s also been presiding over a kind of fledgling foreign policy in the Trump administration that’s been a disaster. Look at the rollout of this executive order, look at the fact that the Trump administration has provided comfort to nationalist politicians in Europe, and now you have ongoing questions about this relationship with Russia.
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