If you yell loud enough, people will believe you. If you yell loud enough, so to speak, you can sometimes drown out the truth. This art of forceful speaking has a master in Donald Trump, who attacks those who attack him. In this case, he attacks by calling someone someone else a liar. You read what happened, and determine if he isn't in the act of lying even as he is calling someone else a liar.
In March, in a town hall with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Trump suggested it was time to reconsider the United States' policy of not letting Japan arm itself with nuclear weapons.
And then, in April, Trump discussed nuclear weapons with Chris Wallace on Fox, "It's not like, gee whiz, nobody has them. So, North Korea has nukes. Japan has a problem with that. I mean, they have a big problem with that. Maybe they would in fact be better off if they defend themselves from North Korea." When he was asked if he meant with nukes, he replied, "Including with nukes, yes, including with nukes."
But now, Trump is saying it is a lie that he said he wants Japan to get nuclear weapons. At a rally this week in Sacramento, Trump referred to a Hillary Clinton speech, saying, "And it was such lies about my foreign policy, that they said I want Japan to get nuclear weapons. Give me a break."
Trump went on to say that they don't say it, but he wants Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and many of the NATO allies to pay up for us taking care of them. Perhaps he is suggesting that the reason he said what he did in March and April, is that it is time for the U.S. to quit footing the bill for defending so many nations. Let them arm themselves, instead.
But, that doesn't diminish that he did, indeed, suggest it was time to reconsider Japan not arming itself with nuclear weapons.
This is a simple question that he was asked and he was pondering and responded to not part of his foreign policy which is available online. Classic example of something being taken out of context.
ReplyDelete