The 9 most lethally droll New York Times subtweets of Donald Trump in this foreign policy interview
The New York Times is apparently only able to very thinly mask its criticism of Donald Trump. Read the most snarky, underhanded remarks in their foreign policy interview with the Republican frontrunner, below. Jeva Lange
1. "'We have tremendous economic power over China,' [Trump] argued. 'And that's the power of trade.' He did not mention Beijing’s ability for economic retaliation."
2. "Mr. Trump explained his thoughts in concrete and easily digestible terms, but they appeared to reflect little consideration for potential consequences."
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3. "At no point did he express any belief that American forces deployed on military bases around the world were by themselves valuable to the United States, though Republican and Democratic administrations have for decades argued that they are essential to deterring military adventurism, protecting commerce and gathering intelligence."
4. "[Trump's advisers] reflected a continuing bias toward former military officers, rather than diplomats or academics with foreign policy experience."
5. "Asked about the briefings he receives and books he has read on foreign policy, Mr. Trump said his main information source was newspapers, 'including yours.'"
6. "...His rationale for abandoning the region was that 'the reason we're in the Middle East is for oil, and all of a sudden we're finding out that there's less reason to be there now.' He made no mention of the risks of withdrawal — that it would encourage Iran to dominate the Gulf, that the presence of American troops is part of Israel’s defense, and that American air and naval bases in the region are key collection points for intelligence and bases for drones and Special Operations forces."
7. "Mr. Trump seemed less comfortable on some topics than others. He called the United States 'obsolete' in terms of cyberweaponry, although the nation’s capabilities are generally considered on the cutting edge."
8. "In discussing nuclear weapons — which he said he had learned about from an uncle, John G. Trump, who was on the M.I.T. faculty — he seemed fixated on the large stockpiles amassed in the Cold War. While he referred briefly to North Korean and Pakistani arsenals, he said nothing about a danger that is a cause of great consternation among global leaders: small nuclear weapons that could be fashioned by terrorists."
9. "But Mr. Trump [...] insisted that voters should not doubt his foreign policy fluency. 'I do know my subject,' he said."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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