August 15, 2016

Donald Trump’s Wildly Contradictory Foreign Policy Speech in 5 Tweets

His latest speech made as little sense as his past foreign policy addresses.

Gerald Herbert/AP

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In April, after criticism mounted about his lack of foreign policy proposals and advisers, Donald Trump gave what he billed as a major foreign policy address. It proved to be a confusing speech filled with contradictory ideas and outright falsehoods. But it seems that little has changed since then. Trump’s latest foreign policy speech on Monday in Youngstown, Ohio, was equally filled with head-scratching proposals and statements.

Journalists and foreign policy experts on Twitter quickly pointed out Trump’s baffling comments on everything from major anti-terrorism proposals and the war in Iraq to his opinion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The GOP nominee’s oddest remarks included:

1) Trump’s contention that the United States should have kept Iraq’s oil after the 2003 invasion.

2) Trump’s call for human rights—and praise for Middle Eastern dictators.

At another point in the speech, Trump also praised the alleged stability of the Middle East in 2009 under repressive rulers including Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.

3) Trump’s insistence that Obama and Clinton caused Iraq to fall apart by pulling troops out in 2011.

Trump also falsely claimed—again—that he opposed the war in Iraq before it began.

4) Trump’s demands that the United States take actions against ISIS that it’s already taking.

5) Trump’s mockery of Merkel for accepting refugees in Germany.

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“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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