‘Leverage!’ Trump Scoffs At WH Reporter Asking If Iran Has Any Cards to Play In Negotiations

 

President Donald Trump scoffed at a reporter who asked him if Iran had any leverage over the United States.

“If Iran doesn’t live up to their agreement or if they’re not behaving, I will do what I have to do,” Trump said during an Oval Office executive order signing Monday.

“Does that give them leverage over you, Mr. President?” asked Philip Wegmann, reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

“You’re so…Leverage!” Trump scoffed. “Their Navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their leaders are all dead. Their whole country is a mess. Their economy is shot. You know, the Times, the fake New York Times said it’s about the same as it was four months ago. No. Four months ago, they had a Navy, 159 ships. It’s gone. Their 250 airplanes, all gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone. Their radar is gone. These guys love radar,” Trump said, gesturing to staffers in the Oval Office.

“It’s gone, he continued. “Everything is gone. The leaders are gone. Their whole country is gone. The Times said, ‘Oh, they’re about the same as they were four months ago.’ The reason the news is doing so badly or — let’s put it another way. The reason that I won in a landslide, even though I got 92% negative press, all fake press, is because nobody believes the press anymore. And, they have to start believing. You know?”

Trump continued:

When the Times — and a couple of others — they’re grasping for straws. When they say Iran is about the same as it was four months ago — they had a powerful Navy, a powerful air force. You know, most of their missiles are gone. Most of their launching pads are gone. Most of the manufacturing capacity for drones and missiles is gone. About 87% gone. And then I hear “Oh, they’re in such great shape.” No. They’re gone. Their first level of leaders, gone. Their second level of leaders, gone. Their third level of leaders, you have to hear the conversations:

“Who wants to be president?”

“I don’t want it!” Nobody wants to be president. Then we have to read that they’re doing well. They’re doing so badly. Meantime, we’re setting records. We have the strongest economy we’ve ever had. We have 18 to $19 trillion being poured into our country. We have more people working today than at any time in the history of our country and higher salaries.

“So, when you ask a question like that — it’s so stupid,” Trump sneered, before taking the next question.

Watch above.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!

Tags: