British journalist who interviewed Trump says it was 'like being in the court of an imperial Chinese emperor'
When Tom Newton Dunn, political editor for British tabloid The Sun, interviewed President Trump in Brussels on Wednesday, "his mood was nervous, I think, his arms were crossed a lot," he told BBC Radio 4's Today on Friday. The Trump interview, which The New York Times characterized as "a remarkable breach of protocol, publicly undercutting Prime Minister Theresa May," was published just as guests were leaving the black-tie dinner May threw for Trump Thursday night. In it, Trump criticized May's newly published Brexit plan, said it endangered a U.S.-Britain free trade deal May has been promising, and said May's political rival Boris Johnson "would be a great prime minister," among other comments damaging to May.
Newton Dunn said that White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to end the explosive interview after the allotted 10 minutes, but Trump "swatted her away" and "kept on talking." It was an "amazing experience" interviewing Trump, because "nobody tells him what to say or nobody tells him off once he's said it, and he'll say it for as long as he wants," he told BBC Breakfast. "I felt it was like being in the court of an imperial Chinese emperor from the 15th century." Talking to him one-on-one, "I mean, he certainly isn't Barack Obama," Newton Dunn added. "He perhaps doesn't quite have the poise that Barack Obama had, you know, as a wise and great leader of men. But, you know, he gave us one hell of an interview, and I think there's a lot to be said for answering an honest question honestly."
Trump "knows an awful lot about Britain," cares what Britons think about him, and is "a true Brexiteer," Newton Dunn told the BBC. "He's really quite stung by the criticism he's been getting, the treatment he was going to get when he arrived. ... He knew all about the baby blimp. I think it hurt him."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The elite falcon trade in the Middle EastUnder the Radar Popularity of the birds of prey has been ‘soaring’ despite doubts over the legality of sourcing and concerns for animal welfare
-
A running list of the international figures Donald Trump has pardonedin depth The president has grown bolder in flexing executive clemency powers beyond national borders
-
Mixed nuts: RFK Jr.’s new nutrition guidelines receive uneven reviewsTalking Points The guidelines emphasize red meat and full-fat dairy
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
