Donald Trump Foreign Policy Antics Raise Question, Stupid Or Nefarious? | Rachel Maddow

GETTING ONE BUT I MAY BE READING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS.
>>> DO YOU SLEEP TOO MUCH OR TOO WELL?
ARE YOU TOO RELAXED? DO YOU HAVE LOW BLOOD PRESSURE,
A LACK OF ANXIETY, NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD?
IF SO, THERE'S A CURE FOR THAT. "FOREIGN AFFAIRS" IS OUT WITH A
NEW ISSUE TODAY TITLED PRESENT AT THE DESTRUCTION?
TRUMP IN PRACTICE. IT'S ILLUSTRATED WITH THIS
PICTOGRAM OF AIR FORCE ONE JETTING DIRECTLY INTO, VOLCANIC
ERUPTION? MUSHROOM CLOUD?
GIANT MOUNTAIN? END OF THE WORLD?
YOU GET THE IDEA. THAT PICTURE AND IDEA SET THE
TONE FOR THE CONTENT OF THIS NEW ISSUE OF "FOREIGN AFFAIRS."
THERE'S A DETAILED LOOK AT THE INITIAL BEHAVIOR OF THIS NEW
PRESIDENT ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. AND HOW, IF THAT BEHAVIOR
CONTINUES, THAT COULD LEAD DIRECTLY TO THREE BRAND-NEW
SEPARATE WARS WITH THREE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
THERE'S ALSO LONG PIECE ABOUT WHY THE EXPERTS BELIEVE YOU
PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT INTO
FULL-ON FASCISM ANY TIME SOON BUT, YEAH, WE ARE MAYBE SLIDING
INTO WHAT THE EXPERTS MAY CALL A COMPETITIVE AUTHORITARIANISM.
THE EDITOR OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS GIDEON ROSE.
HE OPENS THIS HAIR-RAISING COLLECTION TODAY WITH THIS
QUESTION. IT'S MORE OF A GAME THAN A
QUESTION. THE GAME IS, STUPID OR
NEFARIOUS? EVERY ADMINISTRATION SPINS,
FIGHTS WITH THE PRESS AND THE BUREAUCRACY, PUSHES ITS OWN
AGENDA AND TRIES TO EVADE INTRUSIVE OVERSIGHT.
BUT ORDINARY WHITE HOUSES DO NOT REPEATEDLY LIE, OR DECLARE WAR
ON MAINSTREAM MEDIA INSTITUTIONS OR PURSUE RADICAL GOALS WHILE
DISDAINING PROFESSIONAL INPUT, NOR DO THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT
INDEPENDENT SCRUTINY. HOW SERIOUSLY YOU TAKE THESE
BEHAVIORS DEPENDS ON HOW YOU ASSESS THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND
THEM, GENERATING A GAME THAT SOME HAVE TAKEN TO CALLING
"STUPID OR NEFARIOUS"? DO SLOW APPOINTMENTS TO THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION SIGNAL POOR MANAGEMENT OR A DELIBERATE
ATTEMPT TO DECONSTRUCT THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE?
IS DISMISSING EXPERIENCED SENIOR OFFICIALS EN MASSE JUST A CLUMSY
WAY OF HANDLING A PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION OR IS THAT A PURGE OF
POTENTIAL OBSTACLES AND WHISTLEBLOWERS?
ARE ALL THE LIES MERE VENTING OR ARE THEY A DELIBERATE PLOT TO
DISTRACT CRITICS AND UNDERMINE REASONED DISCOURSE?
THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. STUPID OR NEFARIOUS?
STUPID OR NEFARIOUS? I'D LIKE TO TAKE DOOR THREE IF
THOSE ARE MY OPTIONS. TONIGHT WE'VE GOT OUR EYES ON A
FEW DEVELOPING STORIES. THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION THAT
HAPPENED TODAY IN A REPUBLICAN DISTRICT IN THE GREAT STATE OF
GEORGIA. THE REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT THERE
WAS TOM PRICE. HE LEFT CONGRESS TO BECOME
HEALTH SECRETARY IN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO REPLACE HIM.
AND EVERY SPECIAL ELECTION IS UNIQUE.
THEY'RE ALL LOCAL AFFAIRS. YOU SHOULD NEVER EXTRAPOLATE TOO
MUCH FROM ANY ONE SPECIAL
ELECTION, BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE FELT LIKE EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS
BEEN A REPUBLICAN-HELD SEAT SINCE THE 1970s, DEMOCRATS FEEL
THIS MAYBE COULD BE WITHIN REACH FOR THEM.
DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN TRYING VERY HARD TO FLIP THIS DISTRICT, TO
FLIP THIS GEORGIA DISTRICT AS BASICALLY A PUSHBACK AGAINST
TRUMP AND AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THAT SPECIAL ELECTION.
WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THESE RETURNS COME IN.
YOU SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF RETURNS IN IS IN THE UPPER
RIGHT-HAND CORNER. WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THESE
NUMBERS TONIGHT AS THEY TRICKLE IN.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THIS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NIGHT AS WE GET IN
MORE DATA. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A RACE FOR
JUST ONE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, EVERYBODY INTERESTED IN U.S.
POLITICS HAS BEEN WATCHING THIS SPECIAL ELECTION TODAY TO THE
POINT WHERE I THINK IT MAY HAVE DRIVEN THE WHITE HOUSE TO
DISTRACTION. YOU PROBABLY HEARD THE BRITISH
PRIME MINISTER HAS CALLED A SNAP ELECTION FOR JUNE.
BRITISH ELECTIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO HAPPEN EVERY FIVE YEARS BUT
THE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE A DECISION TO CALL ONE SOONER.
PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY HAS DECIDED TO DO THAT.
THIS IS A MOMENT IN BRITISH POLITICS WHERE THE OTHER PARTIES
SEEM PARTICULARLY OUT OF IT AND DISORGANIZED AND UNPOPULAR.
SO THERESA MAY IS SEIZING THE MOMENT CALLING A SNAP ELECTION
RIGHT AWAY IN A MATTER OF WEEKS. PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY
APPARENTLY CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT
DECISION. TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
BRITAIN IS ABOUT TO HAVE A NATIONAL ELECTION.
AFTER THAT PHONE CALL, DID YOU SEE THIS TODAY?
THE WHITE HOUSE ISSUED WHAT'S CALLED A READOUT ABOUT THAT
CALL. WHEN YOU GET A DESCRIPTION FROM
YOUR GOVERNMENT IN A LEADER TO LEADER PHONE CALL.
THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASED THIS READ-OUT OF THE CALL WITH
THERESA MAY TODAY. AND THEY SCREWED IT UP.
YOU'D THINK THEY WOULD BE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE ABOUT NOT
SCREWING STUFF UP RELATED TO HER.
THEY PUT OUT THAT ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN THERESA MAY WAS VISITING
THE WHITE HOUSE THAT MISSPELLED HER NAME THREE TIMES.
YOU'D THINK THEY'D BE SENSITIVE ABOUT NOT SCREWING STUFF UP.
THEY ARE STILL SCREWING STUFF UP.
THIS IS FROM THE READ OUT TODAY. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
RECEIVES A PHONE CALL FROM PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY OF THE
UNITED KINGDOM TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION IN JUNE.
IT'S NOT A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT'S A SNAP ELECTION IF YOU WANT
TO ADD AN ADJECTIVE. THE SPECIAL ELECTION, THAT'S
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IN GEORGIA TODAY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE UK.
IT'S A DIFFERENT THING. THEY'RE NOT HAVING A SPECIAL
ELECTION IN BRITAIN. WE'RE HAVING A SPECIAL ELECTION
HERE. IT'S NOT LIKE THE READOUT WAS
LIKE A BIG COMPLICATED THING. TWO SENTENCES.
ONE OF THEM WAS WRONG. THE WHITE HOUSE APPARENTLY ALSO
SCREWED UP ITS READ DLOUT OF A CALL BETWEEN TRUMP AND THE
PROFIT TURKEY YESTERDAY. TURKEY IS A REPUBLIC, A
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRAERKS BUT PRODUCT ERDOGAN AND TURKEY IS
DOING HIS BEST TO END ALL THAT AND TURN THE COUNTRY INTO A
DICTATORSHIP. THE REFERENDUM WAS CONDUCTED
UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER ERDOGAN LOCKED UP TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HE'S LABELED HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS.
THE REFERENDUM WILL CONCENTRATE POWER IN ERDOGAN'S HANDS, GETS
RIFD THAT COUNTRY'S PRIME MINISTER AND PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY. IT CONSOLIDATES ALL POWER
BASICALLY IN HIM. AND THIS REFERENDUM WAS AN
INCREDIBLY CLOSE RESULT. INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS SAY THE
ELECTION WAS NOT FREE AND FAIR. THE OPPOSITION IS REJECTING THE
RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUM. THE OPPOSITION SAYS THEY'RE NOT
CONCEDING THIS IS HOW THE VOTE WENT DOWN.
ERDOGAN IS CLAIMING VICTORY. HE IMMEDIATELY DECLARED ANOTHER
STATE OF EMERGENCY. HE'S CLAIMING THE VOTE IS A
RATIFICATION OF HIS EFFORTS TO BASICALLY BECOME JUST AN
OUTRIGHT DICTATOR IN TURKEY. IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT SCARY
PROCESS IN THAT BIG IMPORTANT COUNTRY WE GOT THIS READOUT FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD CALLED
PRESIDENT ERDOGAN TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS RECENT
REFERENDUM VICTORY. AND THE REST OF THE WORLD WAS
LIKE, WHAT? REALLY?
TO CONGRAT -- TO WHAT? BECAUSE NO OTHER WESTERN LEADER
IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD CALLED THE TURKISH
PRESIDENT TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS DICTATORSHIP REFERENDUM.
THERE'S A REAL QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THAT REFERENDUM RESULT
SHOULD BE SEEN AS FINAL OR LEGITIMATE.
SO STUPID OR NEFARIOUS? IS THE NEW STANCE OF THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT TO BE CONGRATULATORY AND WELCOMING TO
THE WORLD'S NEWEST DICTATORSHIP? IN A FORMERLY DEMOCRATIC
COUNTRY? OR WAS THAT JUST A SCREW-UP?
OOPS. THAT READOUT WAS YESTERDAY.
SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD A WHOLE DAY OF CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT'S REPORTED CONGRATULATORY PHONE CALL AND
THE REST OF THE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE STATE DEPARTMENT
NOT QUITE KNOWING WHAT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO
TURKEY. TONIGHT IT CULMINATEOD AIR FORCE
ONE WHEN A WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON TRIED TO TELL
REPORTERS THAT WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLED TO OFFER HIS
CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT REFERENDUM, HE DID NOT MEAN TO
CONVEY THAT THE RESULTS OF THAT REFERENDUM WERE A GOOD THING.
OR EVEN THAT THEY WERE RESULTS. IT WAS JUST THE OTHER MEANING OF
THE WORD CONGRATULATIONS. SO TO BE CLEAR, THE UNITED
STATES POSITION ON WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN TURKEY IS THAT WE AS
A GOVERNMENT, WE AS A COUNTRY DO NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPT THE
RESULTS OF THAT REFERENDUM. BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS
CONGRATULATED THE TURKISH PRESIDENT ON THE RESULTS OF THAT
REFERENDUM. OKAY?
GOOD. THIS IS A FRAUGHT TIME IN THE
WORLD IN A LOT OF WAYS. A LOT OF THE VERY BASIC STUFF
ABOUT OUR FRAGILE INTERNATIONAL ORDER IS CHANGING OR STRAINING
OR JUST FLAT OUT FALLING APART. BEFORE OUR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER,
EUROPE LOST A CORNERSTONE. BRITAIN VOTED TO LEAVE THE EU.
THAT WAS LAST SUMMER BEFORE OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
NOW BRITAIN IS GOING TO BE FACING A NEW NATIONAL ELECTION
IN VERY SHORT ORDER. FRANCE, ANOTHER CORNERSTONE OF
EUROPE, THEY'VE GOT THEIR ELECTIONS THIS WEEKEND.
TWO OF THE TOP FOUR CANDIDATES IN THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION WANT TO PULL FRANCE NOT ONLY OUT OF THE EU BUT OUT OF
NATO AS WELL. OH.
TURKEY IS IN NATO. TURKEY IS THE BIGGEST MILITARY
IN NATO OTHER THAN US. IF TURKEY BECOMES A FULL-BLOWN
DICTATORSHIP, DO THEY GET TO STAY IN NATO?
NATO IS A MILITARY ALLIANCE. IT'S A PACT WHEREBY WE AGREE TO
MUTUALLY DEFEND OUR NATO ALLIES AS WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO
DEFEND US. BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE A
DICTATORSHIP NOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK OUT?
ERDOGAN LOCKS UP A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE PEOPLE?
AND WE STILL PLAN TO SEND THE 82nd AIRBORNE IN TO DEFEND HIM
IN THE EVENT HE SAYS HE NEEDS HELP?
AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, THERE'S NORTH KOREA, RIGHT,
WHICH WAS WORRYING ENOUGH ON ITS OWN TERMS BEFORE WE HAD TO START
PLAYING STUPID OR NEFARIOUS TO FIGURE OUT OUR OWN GOVERNMENT'S
BEHAVIOR TOWARD THEM. I STARTED OFF TONIGHT BY
MENTIONING THIS NEW ISSUE OF "FOREIGN AFFAIRS" MAGAZINE.
HERE'S THE LEAD ARTICLE RIGHT NOW AT THE "ATLANTIC" MAGAZINE.
HOW DID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LOSE AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER?
THIS STORY UNRAVELING TODAY IS LIKE NOTHING I'VE EVER SEEN.
THIS THING STARTED OFF WRONG A WEEK AGO AND IT HAS GOTTEN MORE
AND MORE WRONG EVERY DAY. WE THOUGHT THE LAST WEEK WAS
WORRYING WHEN IT CAME TO NORTH KOREA.
WE HAD NO IDEA HOW WORRYING IT WAS WHEN IT CAME TO US.
TO THE POINT WHERE TONIGHT, THIS STORY IS NOW THE FRONT PAGE OF
EVERY NEWS SITE IN AMERICA AND STILL NOBODY CAN BELIEVE THIS
HAPPENED. APPARENTLY THIS HAS JUST
HAPPENED. HONESTLY, I NEED HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE TO KNOW IF ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED
BECAUSE THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BIZARRE.
STARTED LAST SATURDAY. APRIL 8th.
THAT WAS THE START OF IT. AN UNNAMED U.S. OFFICIAL TOLD
REUTERS THE U.S. WAS DIVERTING AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
A STRIKE GROUP. ALL OF ITS SUPPORT SHIPS WERE
GOING TO GO OVER TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA AS A SHOW OF FORCE TO
INTIMIDATE NORTH KOREA. FIRST WORD OF THAT WAS AN
UNNAMED GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SPEAKING TO REUTERS SATURDAY,
APRIL 8th. LAST SATURDAY.
FOLLOWING DAY ON THE FOX NEWS CHANNEL, SUNDAY MORNING, THE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER H.R. McMASTER WAS ASKED ABOUT IT AND
HE CONFIRMED IT. >> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU
SORT OF LIGHTNING ROUND QUICK QUESTIONS, QUICK ANSWERS.
WHY THE CARRIER STRIKE FORCE TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA?
>> WELL, IT'S PRUDENT TO DO IT, ISN'T IT?
>> IT'S PRUDENT TO DO IT, ISN'T IT?
WE GOT THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER CONFIRMING THAT WE ARE
DOING IT. THAT WAS LAST SUNDAY.
THEN TWO DAYS LATER ON TUESDAY, A WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING AND
NATURALLY, THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN GETS ASKED ABOUT IT.
>> THE STRIKE CARRIER GROUP IN THE SEA OF JAPAN IN THAT REGION
IS THAT ALSO A MESSAGING CIRCUMSTANCE, OR SIMPLY
PROTECTIVE FOR OUR ALLIES IN JAPAN AND KOREA.
>> A CARRIER GROUP IS SEVERAL THINGS.
THE FORWARD DEPLOYMENT IS DETERRENCE, PRESENCE.
IT'S PRUDENT, BUT IT DOES A LOT OF THINGS.
>> PRUDENT. THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN.
CARRIER STRIKE GROUP GOING TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
SO TOLD TO A NEWSPAPER -- TO A WIRE SERVICE ON SATURDAY.
CONFIRMED ON A SUNDAY, SHOWS ON SUNDAY MORNING, CONFIRMED AT THE
WHITE HOUSE ON TUESDAY. THE SAME DAY AT THE PENTAGON,
JAMES MATTIS, THE ONE EVERYONE IS COMFORTED BY, THE ADULT IN
THE ROOM. THAT SAME DAY, TUESDAY, HE
CONFIRMS AT THE PENTAGON, THAT STRIKE GROUP IS ON ITS WAY TO
THE KOREAN PENINSULA. >> SHE'S JUST ON HER WAY UP
THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE THOUGHT IT WAS MOST PRUDENT TO
HAVE HER AT THIS TIME. THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC DEMAND
SIGNAL OR SPECIFIC REASON WHY WE'RE SENDING HER UP THERE.
>> IT'S JUST UNUSUAL FOR US TO KNOW ABOUT A SHIP MOVEMENT IN
ADVANCE. THAT WAS SORT OF WHAT GOT
EVERYONE'S ATTENTION. SO WHY WAS THAT?
WHY WAS IT PUT OUT IN ADVANCE? WAS IT JUST TO SIGNAL TO NORTH
KOREA THAT THERE WOULD BE A SHOW OF PRESENCE THERE?
>> I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE SHE WAS ORIGINALLY HEADED IN ONE
DIRECTION FOR AN EXERCISE AND WE CANCELED OUR ROLE IN THAT
EXERCISE AND THAT'S WHAT BECAME PUBLICLY EXPLAINED WHY SHE
WASN'T IN THAT EXERCISE. >> NONE OF THAT IS TRUE.
NO ONE WAS ASKING WHY THE "USS CARL VINSON" PULLED IFT MILITARY
EXERCISE WHICH NECESSITATED THIS FURTHER EXPLANATION.
NOBODY WAS ASKING WHY SHE PULLED OUT OF A MILITARY EXERCISE
BECAUSE THE "USS CARL VINSON" DIDN'T PULL IFT EXERCISE.
THEY'RE DOING THOSE MILITARY EXERCISES RIGHT NOW.
DESPITE WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
AND THE DEFENSE SECRETARY ALL SAID, THE "USS CARL VINSON" WAS
NOT STEAMING TOWARD NORTH KOREA. WAS NOT STEAMING NORTH TOWARD
THE KOREAN PENINSULA. IN FACT, WHILE THEY WERE ALL
SAYING THAT THE "USS CARL VINSON" WAS STEAMING NORTH
TOWARD KOREA, THE "USS CARL VINSON" WAS STEAMING SOUTH IN
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO, IN FACT, GO DO THOSE EXERCISES WITH
THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY THAT JIM MATTIS SAID WERE BEING CANCEL
AND REQUIRED AN EXPLANATION. HUH?
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SCARY ABOUT THE PAST WEEK
IS NOT KNOWING WHAT NORTH KOREA IS GOING TO DO.
IT'S ALSO NOW SCARY TO FIGURE OUT THE BEHAVIOR OF OUR OWN
GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE WERE ALL TOLD THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT JUST SENT AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO LOOM OVER NORTH KOREA
WHEN THAT, IN FACT, WAS NOT HAPPENING.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF SCAREY TO REALIZE NOW AT THE END
OF THIS WEEK THAT JUST WAS THAT THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATION UP TO
AND INCLUDING THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN, NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER AND THE DEFENSE SECRETARY WERE EITHER ALL LYING
OR THEY ALL APPARENTLY BELIEVED THAT THE "USS CARL VINSON" AND
ITS SUPPORT SHIPS WERE HEADED TO THE SEA OF JAPAN AND KOREAN
PENINSULA WHEN THEY WERE NOT. THEY WERE HEADED IN NO SUCH
DIRECTION AND THEY WERE THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY.
OF COURSE, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THE PRLT GOT THIS ONE
WRONG, TOO. >> WE ARE SENDING AN ARMADA,
VERY POWERFUL. >> WHETHER IT IS A GOOD IDEA OR
NOT TO SEND AN ARMADA, AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP TO
THE KOREAN PENINSULA AT A TIME LIKE THIS.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO HAVE SOME
BASIC IDEA OF WHERE ALL OUR AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ARE AT ANY
GIVEN MOMENT. I MEAN, IN THIS CASE, IT'S MORE
WORRYING, NOT LESS, TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT GOES
WELL BEYOND JUST THE PRESIDENT SCREWING SOMETHING UP.
THE PRESIDENT SCREWS STUFF UP. AT THIS POINT WITH THIS
PRESIDENT, IT'S NOT EVEN WEIRD TO REALIZE THAT HE MIGHT NOT
EVEN KNOW WHO THE LEADER OF NORTH KOREA IS.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SUPPOSED STANDOFF WITH THEM.
>> I'M NOT LIKE OTHER ADMINISTRATIONS WHERE THEY SAY
WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IN FOUR WEEKS AND THAT DOESN'T WORK THAT
WAY. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
I HOPE THINGS WORK OUT WELL. I HOPE THERE'S GOING TO BE PEACE
BUT THEY'VE BEEN TALK WITH THIS GENTLEMAN FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU READ CLINTON'S BOOK. HE SAID WE MADE SUCH A GREAT
PEACE DEAL AND IT'S A JOKE. YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS
OVER THE YEARS WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA.
HE'S BEEN OUTPLAYED. THEY'VE ALL BEEN OUTPLAYED BY
THIS GENTLEMAN. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> BILL CLINTON'S BOOK DOES TALK ABOUT DEALINGS WITH NORTH KOREA.
TALKS ABOUT A 1994 DEAL THAT WAS INITIALLY NEGOTIATED WITH NORTH
KOREA'S FOUNDER KIM IL-SUNG. HE DIED IN JULY OF 1994.
THAT 1994 DEAL WAS THEN FUNERAL
-- FINALIZED WITH KIM JONG-IL
WHO TOOK OVER AFTER HIS FATHER DIED.
KIM JONG-IL THEN DIED IN 2011 AND NOW THERE'S A WHOLE NEW GUY,
KIM JONG-UN. ALL THREE OF THESE MEN ARE
APPARENTLY IN OUR PRESIDENT'S MIND CONFLATED AS SOMEBODY WHO
HE CALLS THIS GENTLEMAN. IT'S THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THIS GUY HASN'T BEEN DOING ANYTHING FOR A LONG TIME.
ONLY BEEN THERE SINCE 2011. NOT THE SAME GUY NEGOTIATE WITH
CLINTON. HE WAS A BABY.
IT'S A REMARKABLE THING TO REALIZE ABOUT YOUR PRESIDENT.
BUT WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN AND THE NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER AND THE DEFENSE SECRETARY BACK UP THE
PRESIDENT'S CRAZY APPARENT IGNORANCE ABOUT SOMETHING AS BIG
A DEAL AND AS PHYSICALLY LARGE AS A CARRIER STRIKE GROUP, THAT
IS A -- THAT'S A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF WEIRD.
THIS IS NOT THE PRESIDENT GETTING SOMETHING WRONG.
THIS IS THE ADMINISTRATION GETTING SOMETHING REALLY,
REALLY, REALLY WRONG. FOR DAYS.
AND IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND IT'S CLOSE TO THE MOST
HAIR-TRIGGER PLACE ON EARTH IN TERMS OF THE PROSPECT OF AN
ACTUAL NUCLEAR WAR. AND APPARENTLY THEY WERE JUST
GOING TO, LIKE, LET THIS ONE SLIDE?
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS STUPID OR NEFARIOUS OR NEITHER OR
SOMETHING IN BETWEEN. BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW IF THERE
IS ANYTHING IN U.S. HISTORY THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO
IN A CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE THIS OR WHAT THIS KIND OF THING MIGHT

Donald Trump Foreign Policy Antics Raise Question, Stupid Or Nefarious? | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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