I spoke with Paul Ross of London’s talkRADIO on Monday morning both about Donald Trump’s latest statements and about Britain’s Nigel Farage, the first foreign politician received by the President-elect in Trump Tower.


TalkRADIO’s choice of quote from my measured comments:

Nigel Farage’s main interest is not Britain, it is Nigel Farage’s ego. The Government has no interest in him being a liaison and pursuing what he thinks is best with the United States.

Matters are far too serious in terms of trade, investment links, a decent approach to immigration and refugees to let a loose operator like Nigel Farage go off and hold a little bit of limelight.

Listen to full interview

There is also discussion about Trump’s Sunday night interview, with its mythical change in approach — “A man doesn’t start a fire and then say, ‘I’m not responsible for that smoke'” — the President-elect’s approach to Russia, and his language of “let America be America and damn the rest of the world”.

And on Trump’s ability to win over enough support to get the Presidency:

Americans always like to feel “We’re Number One”. That’s our favorite chant at sporting events along with “U-S-A, U-S-A”.

If you realize that we’re no longer the superpower that calls the shots in the world, if you’re in a changing US economy where manufacturing has shifted and jobs have shifted because we’re part of a global economy, if you’re worried about your house or education, you find a salesman who will sell you snake oil that will supposedly cure all your ills….

You’ll buy it.

Trump’s the Snake Oil Salesman of 2016.