Clinton calls Trump's Putin praise 'scary'
Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin over President Obama, his “trash” talking of American generals and proposal to “steal” Iraq’s oil prove he’s temperamentally unfit and unqualified to serve as commander in chief.
In a news conference with reporters in White Plains, N.Y., Thursday morning, Clinton said Trump has taken “the astonishing step of suggesting he prefers the Russian president to our American president.”
“That is not just unpatriotic and insulting to the people of our country as well as our commander in chief,” said Clinton. “It is scary because it suggests he will let Putin do whatever Putin wants to do and then make excuses for him," she said.
“I was just thinking about all of the presidents that would just be looking at one another in total astonishment. What would Ronald Reagan say about a Republican nominee who attacks American’s generals and heaps praise on Russia’s president?”
Fact check: Trump and Clinton at the 'commander-in-chief' forum
Trump's remarks came in a national security forum Wednesday night in which he was critical of the U.S. military, saying America’s generals have been “reduced to rubble” under Obama. He also suggested he would fire some of them if he wins the presidency. Trump said he has a plan for defeating the Islamic State, but that it was private and he would require military leaders to produce a detailed plan within 30 days of taking office.
Trump has also repeatedly said that the U.S. made a mistake in not seizing Iraqi oil fields. “The United States of America does not invade other countries to plunder and pillage” and steal oil, Clinton said Thursday. On a practical level, Clinton said, it would involve massive infrastructure and many years on the ground with large numbers of troops.
“Of course, Trump hasn’t thought through any of that,” she said.
“Every Republican holding or seeking office in this country should be asked if they agree with Donald Trump about these statements,” said Clinton.
On honesty issues, Hillary Clinton fights own missteps, gender stereotypes
The Trump campaign shot back at Clinton in a statement. "It’s no surprise she’s resorting to unhinged and dishonest attacks," said Trump spokesman Jason Miller. "These are the desperate attacks of a flailing campaign sinking in the polls, and characteristics of someone woefully unfit for the presidency." Miller said Clinton "failed" at the forum, claiming she was unable to "answer for her terrible foreign policy judgment."
Trump, meanwhile, posted on Twitter that Clinton "gave a disastrous news conference."
"She's being decimated by the media!" he wrote.
In the news conference, Clinton was also asked twice if she’s being held to a different standard because of her gender.
The questions came after the Republican National Committee criticized her for not smiling enough at the Wednesday night forum and after its host, NBC’s Matt Lauer, came under criticism for pressing her repeatedly on her email server while failing to challenge Trump on his claim that he'd opposed the Iraq War. It’s a claim numerous fact checkers have called false.
“I’m going to let all of you ponder that last question,” said Clinton, noting there will be “a lot of PhD theses and popular journalism writing on that” after the election. In response to the second question, Clinton gave a more expansive response.
“That’s a very fair question,” said Clinton. “I have been somewhat heartened by the number of articles recently pointing out the quite disparate treatment of Trump’s campaign and ours. I don’t understand the reasons for it. I find it frustrating but it’s just part of the landscape we live in and we keep forging ahead,” said Clinton.
“He says outrageous things on a regular basis and I know that’s part of the coverage,” she said, noting it “may be difficult to know exactly how to respond to his behavior.”