The firing of FBI Director James Comey is not just a matter of domestic politics. For a look at how it could affect foreign policy, Texas Standard host David Brown turns to Jeremi Suri – the chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
President Donald Trump met with Russian foreign officials on Wednesday. a move Suri says has left some outside of the U.S. scratching their heads.
“I talked to some of my friends, including some members of the German legislature and the French government and they were astounded,” Suri says. “In addition, Trump did not allow a single American reporter into the Oval Office for that meeting but he allowed Russian news media, Russian photographers, even Russians carrying electronic surveillance equipment… My friends in the intelligence community tell me that they’re concerned that the Oval Office is no longer secure.”
Suri says there is no reason for foreign leaders to take Trump at his word.
“President Trump in the 110 days he’s been president has filled every day with lies, prevarications and a constant changing of position on every major issue,” Suri says. “Even on this issue of the firing of James Comey, the White House has given five different contradictory explanations. How can you expect any ally, if you’re the leader of Germany, the leader of France, the leader of China, to believe anything you say?”
Written by Laura Rice.
