Score one for the international press.
After first asking President Donald Trump about how the political storm will affect U.S. foreign policy during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö Wednesday, MTV News Finland reporter Mari Karppinen asked a more pointed question directed at Niinistö.
“Because this is the biggest issue here at the moment, I have to ask: What kind of favors has Mr. Trump asked from you?” Karppinen asked, prompting audible laughter from some attendees of the presser.
The question was an allusion to Trump’s infamous call with the president of Ukraine, in which Trump responded to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s mention of missile defense with this reply: “I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it.”
Awkward responses from both Trump and Niinistö ensued after the question was asked Wednesday.
“Or the other way around, you mean,” Trump said.
“What favors I asked or…” Niinistö said.
“I think you mean the other way around,” Trump jabbed back.
Watch the exchange below:
Finnish reporter asks President Sauli Niinistö:"What kind of favors has Mr. Trump asked from you?" pic.twitter.com/jXJQJo6sLQ
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) October 2, 2019
Ooof. That’s gonna leave a mark…
So Finland’s MTV is beating our entire Zombie Fourth Estate in terms of the quality of journalism?
There are no words…
“I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it.”
“Or the other way around, you mean,” Trump said.
“What favors I asked or…” Niinistö said.
“I think you mean the other way around,” Trump jabbed back.
No, Donnie Dumbshit, if she’d meant it “the other way around it,” that’s how she would have asked it. She wants to know what favors YOU were asking of the Finnish president, because the entire world knows that’s how you work.
I wish more of our reporters had the the courage to ask questions like that. I am surprised Trump didn’t accuse her of treason, although that doesn’t apply because she is not a US citizen. Of course, that is a fine point that would go right over his hairpiece.
It would be nice to know what the response of the Finnish prime minister was, the video cuts off while Trump is still talking and the text doesn’t say what he said. If the question got ignored, that’s a bit telling…and his response of “What favors I asked?” is silly, his English is good enough not to have misinterpreted that question.
This should be a standard press question all around the world now…“What has Trump asked you to do for him?” should be asked to every leader. Put them on record with what Trump wanted them to do, however minor, if a lot of it is normal things then that’s perfectly fine, but if there is a pattern of asking for outlandish things or information that will undercut rivals, the intelligence community, or make Trump money through his business, we really need to know about it.