It was also strategic: Donald Trump was out on the campaign trail drawing negative headlines almost every day, and there was no reason to risk a gaffe or controversial remark that might get in the way of that. That interest was compounded by the fact that discussion focused on whether Russian agents were responsible for the DNC hack right before their convention months ago. Clinton, many Democrats and even some in his own Republican party balked.
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The Trump campaign has since tried to distance itself from the RT interview, saying that Trump did it for a podcast and as a “favor” to King.
Trump seemed pleased that Hillary Clinton was questioned at length about her email practices.
“You know every day that goes by, this just becomes more and more of a reality television show”, she replied.
Earlier, Mr Trump pledged to launch a new USA military buildup, saying the United States was under threat like never before from Islamist extremists, North Korea and China.
But Lauer took heat from political journalists for not challenging Trump when he claimed that he opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning, something that reporters have repeatedly pointed out conflicts with interviews that Trump gave at the time in which he expressed support.
Obama also hit back at Trump for criticizing his foreign policy record, saying the Republican nominee was unfit to follow him into the Oval Office and the public should press Trump on his “outright wacky ideas”. RT, which airs in several countries in English and Russian, is funded by the Russian government; though it characterizes itself as independent, the network has been regularly accused of pro-Kremlin bias.
Trump has blasted Obama’s policy toward China as weak and said the president was humiliated by the Chinese during his visit to Asia this week. “If they are doing something, I hope that somebody’s going to be able to find out so they can end it”.
“I know there are only 60 days left to make our case – and don’t get complacent, don’t see the latest outrageous, offensive, inappropriate comment and think, ‘Well, he’s done this time, ‘” she said at the event, which featured Barbra Streisand. Clinton said. “I’m not sure anything surprises us any more”.
Clinton’s campaign, in an effort to paint Trump as a national security risk, has kept close tabs on former defense officials who have endorsed the former secretary of state – particularly those who worked in Republican administrations.
“I think it’s inarguable that Vladimir Putin has been a stronger leader in his country than Barack Obama has been in this country”, Pence told CNN.
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The White House said it had no comment on Trump’s remarks.
