Trump man opens up in home video
The incoming Ambassador to New Zealand has made a home video to introduce himself to his new country.
Scott Brown’s pick as US President Donald Trump’s man in Wellington raised eyebrows after it was revealed he had a colourful past, including being named American’s sexiest man by GQ Magazine.
Other reports suggested he supports waterboarding and once posed nude for a photoshoot.
But Brown appears to be highly regarded, including among Democrats. The Press has been told by those who know Brown politically he seems a ‘‘good fit’’ for New Zealand.
A former US Senator, Brown has so far declined interview requests, but yesterday released a home video ahead of his imminent arrival.
In it, Brown gives a tour of his family home of 25 years in New Hampshire, which is comfortable but not grand.
He introduces wife Gail, and daughters Arianna and Ayla, a country music singer.
And he talks candidly about his upbringing.
‘‘My mom and dad got married when they were young, Mom was 19, Dad was 20, and they got divorced a year later, so my mom and dad have been married and divorced four times each, and I lived in 17 houses by the time I was 18.’’
There was a lot of turmoil, says Brown.
‘‘I had to wrestle, quite frankly, with a lot of things . . . drunken stepfathers, a lot of physical abuse in the family. I had to come and rescue Mom and my sister a lot and I really think that’s what made me who I am today in terms of being somebody who’s been married for 30 years and pledged to the day I die that I’m not going to make the same mistakes as my parents did – and those are the types of things, the values that we’re going to be bringing to your countries – somebody who knows what it’s like to be the underdog.’’
He also talks about living on welfare.
‘‘You know Mom was on welfare, I remember getting those blocks of cheese, I understand Mom was working two or three jobs to put a roof over our heads and try to keep us safe, I understand what it was like, the value of a dollar, I don’t care if it’s an American dollar or a New Zealand dollar, a dollar’s a dollar and you know I try to . . . be frugal but also enjoy life.’’
Gail Brown, a US broadcaster, says neither of them has been to New Zealand but they are excited about what they have learned.
‘‘It’s supposed to be the friendliest country in the world, that’s what we’re told, we’re also told that sports play a big part in the culture there and we are a huge, huge sports family.’’
Daughter Ayla reveals, meanwhile, that her parents already have their welcoming party planned – an American barbecue.
‘‘I had to come and rescue Mom and my sister a lot and I really think that’s what made me who I am today.’’ Scott Brown, incoming US Ambassador