Fascinating comparo from the Associated Press:
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump railed against President Barack Obama for failing to utter the words “radical Islamic terrorism.” He accused the foundation run by Bill and Hillary Clinton of corruption for accepting charitable contributions from Saudi Arabia and chastised first lady Michelle Obama for not covering her head during a visit to the Kingdom.
Now that he’s president, Trump has changed his tune.
You should go read the entire column, but here are the stunningly hypocritical highlights :
“RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM”
THEN: Trump routinely railed against Obama and Democratic campaign rival Hillary Clinton for failing to use the specific phrase, “radical Islamic terrorism.”
NOW: Trump called on Muslim leaders to address “the crisis of Islamic extremists” and referenced “the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds.” But he failed to the use the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” in his major speech
ISLAM:
THEN: Trump declared in a March 2016 interview with CNN that, “I think Islam hates us”
NOW: Trump struck a far less caustic tone in Sunday’s speech, expressing that “young Muslim boys and girls should be able to grow up free from fear, safe from violence, and innocent of hatred.”
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
THEN: In a June 2016 posting on Facebook, Trump said, “Saudi Arabia and many of the countries that gave vast amounts of money to the Clinton Foundation want women as slaves and to kill gays. Hillary must return all money from such countries!”
NOW: The World Bank announced Sunday at an event with Trump’s daughter and White House adviser, Ivanka Trump, that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had pledged $100 million for the bank’s proposed Women Entrepreneurs Fund, which was first proposed by Ivanka Trump.
SAUDI ARABIA
THEN: Trump accusing the Saudi Arabia kingdom of wanting “women as slaves and to kill gays” in a Facebook post and suggested they were being behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
NOW Trump heaped praised on the Saudis Sunday, describing the country as a “magnificent kingdom.” “I am honored to be received by such gracious hosts.”
HEADSCARF:
THEN: Trump lashed out at Michelle Obama on Twitter in 2015 when she opted against wearing a headscarf on her visit to Saudi Arabia.
NOW: First lady Melania Trump and the president’s eldest daughter Ivanka showed off their locks, following in the footsteps, not only of Michelle Obama, but of female leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Why, its almost as if everything he has ever said on the campaign trail was only cynical, disingenuous, populist nonsense!
Source:
Contradictions add up during Trump’s Saudi visit
KEN THOMAS AND JILL COLVIN
ASSOCIATED PRESS, May 21, 2017
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/saudi-visit-trump-offers-contradictions-campaign-47545252
