Diplomacy Donald’s way

REVEAL BULLYING, BLUSTER AND FLATTERY

US President Donald Trump pressured the Mexican president to stop voicing opposition in public to his plan to have Mexico pay for a border wall, according to transcripts of phone calls published on Thursday that gave an insight into Trump’s attempts to influence foreign leaders in his first days in office.

The Washington Post has published texts of fraught calls with Mexico’s Enrique Pena Nieto and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull just days after the Republican took office on January 20. The transcripts reveal Trump trying to use a mixture of bluster, tough talk and charm as he fully enters the world of diplomacy.

In a January 27 call, Trump pressed Pena Nieto to avoid saying in public that Mexico would not fund the planned border wall. But he complimented the Mexican leader’s “beautiful words” and said he hoped Mexico would change its constitution to allow Pena Nieto to extend his stay in office.

The proposed wall is a bone of contention between Mexico and Washington. Pena Nieto has repeatedly rejected Trump’s promise that Mexico will end up paying billions of dollars for its construction. Trump told the Mexican leader that “if you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore”, according to the transcript. “You cannot say that to the press,” he added.

The White House has said the US government will pay for the wall initially but that Mexico will eventually reimburse it. Both the White House and Mexico’s foreign ministry did not have any comment about the transcripts.

In the conversation with Pena Nieto, Trump said both leaders were “in a little bit of a political bind” due to his campaign pledge to build the wall and have Mexico foot the bill. “I have to have Mexico pay for the wall – I have to. I have been talking about it for a two-year period,” Trump said.

He suggested they avoid the issue of paying for the wall when asked.

Speaking to Turnbull on January 28, Trump was irritated the US was expected to honour an agreement made by his predecessor, Barack Obama, to accept 1 250 refugees from Australia. Trump said it would make him look bad given his campaign promises to reduce the number of refugees entering the US.

Seeking to win Trump’s support, Turnbull yesterday said Washington could take as few as a hundred refugees, should the rest fail to satisfy its vetting. –

You cannot say that to the press