Subject: Re: Trump/Foreign Policy today
From: Zac Petkanas <[email-masked]>
To: "Paustenbach, Mark" <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Miranda, Luis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 10:26:59 -0400

this is about to go out

Loose Cannons Tend To Misfire: Donald Trump’s Dangerous Foreign Policy

Continuing his efforts to convince the Republican establishment and the
American people that he’s “presidential,” Donald Trump is set to give a
foreign policy address today. But nothing he can say can hide the long list
of dangerous national security proposals he’s put forward over the course
of this campaign. He has used the most reckless rhetoric of any major
presidential candidate in modern history.

These are not off-the-cuff quips. Despite his frequent contradictions and
displays of ignorance, Trump has a long record of recklessness and has
espoused a worldview that goes against everything that makes America great.
A Trump presidency risks leaving both our country and the world
dramatically less safe.

As Hillary Clinton has said, loose cannons tend to misfire.

Check out some of Trump’s most irresponsible comments and proposals, and
experts’ condemnation of them, below:

Trump’s Recklessness With Nuclear Weapons

Donald Trump has displayed a reckless disregard for the dangers of nuclear
proliferation, saying Japan and South Korea and Saudi Arabia may need
nuclear weapons:

   -

   CBS News, 3/29/16:
   <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-japan-south-korea-might-need-nuclear-weapons/>
   Donald Trump: Japan, South Korea might need nuclear weapons

   - CNN Town Hall, 3/29/16
      <http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2016/03/29/full-rush-transcript-donald-trump-cnn-milwaukee-republican-presidential-town-hall/>:
      TRUMP:  At some point we have to say, you know what, we're better off if
      Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea, we're
better off,
      frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself, we have –
      COOPER:  Saudi Arabia, nuclear weapons? TRUMP:  Saudi Arabia, absolutely.

   -

   Business Insider, 3/30/16
   <http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-blast-donald-trumps-nuclear-proliferation-statements-2016-3>:
   'Total catastrophe': Experts say Donald Trump's position on nuclear
   proliferation would be a disaster

   -

   CNN, 3/31/16
   <http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/31/politics/trump-view-from-south-korea-japan/>:
   Japan and South Korea hit back at Trump's nuclear comments

In a debate last December, Trump appeared to have no idea
<http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/12/17/what-is-nuclear-triad-debate-sot.cnn>
what the nuclear triad was.

   -

   Free Beacon, 12/15/15
   <http://freebeacon.com/national-security/rubio-explains-to-trump-what-the-nuclear-triad-is/>:
   Rubio Explains to Trump What The Nuclear Triad Is

   -

   CBS News, 12/20/15
   <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-transcripts-december-20-2015-rubio-bush/>:
   Jeb Bush: Donald Trump’s opinions on nuclear triad are “mind-blowing”

   -

   Rolling Stone, 12/16/15
   <http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/trumps-terrifying-nuke-answer-at-the-debate-should-end-his-campaign-but-it-wont-20151216>:
   Trump's Terrifying Nuke Answer at the Debate Should End His Campaign (But
   It Won't)

Trump refused to rule out using tactical nuclear weapons against ISIS:

   -

   Fortune, 3/23/16
   <http://fortune.com/2016/03/23/trump-nuclear-weapons-isis/>: Donald
   Trump Won't Rule Out Using Nukes Against ISIS

   -

   Bloomberg, 3/23/16
   <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-03-23/trump-lays-out-vision-for-gaining-respect-from-muslim-world>:
   ‘Unpredictability’ on Nukes Among Trump Keys to Muslim Respect

Trump’s Dangerous Plans For Fighting ISIS

Trump has called for sending tens of thousands of American ground troops to
back into the Middle East to fight ISIS.

   -

   Weekly Standard, 3/10/16
   <http://www.weeklystandard.com/trump-calls-for-20000-30000-troops-to-fight-isis/article/2001505>:
   Trump Calls for 20,000-30,000 Troops to Fight ISIS

Trump has insisted that he would intentionally kill terrorists’ family
members and has repeatedly called for returning to Bush-era torture, which
has been widely denounced as ineffective, unethical, and dangerous for
American servicemembers around the world.

   -

   Donald Trump, 12/2/15
   <http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/02/politics/donald-trump-terrorists-families/index.html?sr=twCNN120215donald-trump-terrorists-families/0141PMVODtopLink&linkId=19235497>:
   "The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families”

   - Politifact, 12/17/15
      <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/17/rand-paul/rand-pauls-right-geneva-conventions-bar-donald-tru/>:
      “Geneva Conventions bar Donald Trump's idea of killing
terrorists' families”

   - Washington Post, 2/28/16
      <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/28/former-cia-director-military-may-refuse-to-follow-trumps-orders-if-he-becomes-president/>:
      Former CIA director: Military may refuse to follow Trump’s orders if he
      becomes president

   -

   Donald Trump, 2/6/16
   <http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/02/06/donald_trump_and_ted_cruz_advocate_bringing_back_waterboarding.html>:
   "I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding"

   -

   Donald Trump, 2/17/16
   <http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/donald-trump-torture-works/>:
   “Torture works.”

   - Politifact, 3/30/16
      <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/30/hillary-clinton/evidence-backs-hillary-clinton-claim-torture-count/>:
      “All ethical issues aside, the experts say, [torture] doesn't
work because
      it is extremely inefficient and, in many ways, counterproductive.”

These calls clearly violate international laws, so in turn, Trump has
denounced the Geneva Conventions and urged us to fight more like ISIS.

   -

   Face The Nation, 3/7/16
   <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-transcripts-march-6-2016-trump-cruz-clinton-priebus/>:
   TRUMP: We are playing by rules, but [ISIS has] no rules. It's very hard to
   win when that's the case. DICKERSON: Isn't that separates us from the
   savages, rules? TRUMP: No, I don't think so. We have to beat the savages.
   DICKERSON: And therefore throw all rules out? TRUMP: We have beat the
   savages. DICKERSON: By being savages? TRUMP: No. We -- well, look, you have
   to play the game the way they're playing the game. You're not going to win
   if we are soft, and they are -- they have no rules.

   -

   Donald Trump on waterboarding being a violation of international law,
   3/22/16
   <http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-brussels-attacks-waterboarding-2016-3>:
   "Well I would say that the eggheads who came up with this international law
   should turn on their television and watch CNN right now, because I'm
   looking at scenes on CNN right now as I'm talking to you that are
   absolutely atrocious,"

   -

   Donald Trump, 3/30/16
   <http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/donald-trump-geneva-conventions-221394>:
   “The problem is we have the Geneva Conventions, all sorts of rules and
   regulations, so the soldiers are afraid to fight.”

Trump’s Damaging Islamophobia

Donald Trump has proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States,
and toyed with the idea of creating a national database to track all
Muslims. Not only are these plans un-American, but experts agree that they
would play right into terrorists’ hands.

   -

   Donald Trump statement, 12/7/15
   <https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-statement-on-preventing-muslim-immigration>:
   “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims
   entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure
   out what is going on.”

   -

   MSNBC, 11/20/15
   <http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-says-he-would-certainly-implement-muslim-database-n466716>:
   Donald Trump's Plan for a Muslim Database Draws Comparison to Nazi Germany:
   “Trump was repeatedly asked to explain how his idea was different [from
   Nazi Germany]. Four times, he responded: "You tell me."”

   -

   Washington Post’s David Ignatius, 11/24/15
   <https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-undermines-our-fight-against-the-islamic-state/2015/11/24/d03c8eb6-92f2-11e5-b5e4-279b4501e8a6_story.html>:
   Donald Trump undermines our fight against the Islamic State

   -

   Jonathan Russell, head of policy at anti-radicalization group Quilliam,
   12/9/15 <http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/opinions/trump-isis/>: Why Trump
   is playing right into ISIS' hands

   -

   Dan Rather, 12/16/15
   <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/16/dan-rather-donald-trump-is-the-best-thing-to-happen-to-isis.html>:
   Trump’s rhetoric “helps ISIS tremendously”

Trump has repeatedly peddled lies to demonize Muslims, including refugees
and Muslim-Americans, further undermining our fight against terrorism.

   -

   Politifact, 11/22/15
   <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/nov/22/donald-trump/fact-checking-trumps-claim-thousands-new-jersey-ch/>:Fact-checking
   Trump's claim that thousands in New Jersey cheered when World Trade Center
   tumbled [PANTS ON FIRE]

   -

   Washington Post Factchecker
   <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/11/22/donald-trumps-outrageous-claim-that-thousands-of-new-jersey-muslims-celebrated-the-911-attacks/>:
   Trump’s outrageous claim that ‘thousands’ of New Jersey Muslims celebrated
   the 9/11 attacks

   -

   Politifact, 1/14/16
   <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/14/donald-trump/donald-trumps-false-claim-refugees-migrants-are-mo/>:
   Donald Trump's false claim that refugees, migrants are mostly 'strong,
   powerful men'

   -

   Donald Trump on Syrian refugees, 4/25/16
   <http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-syrian-refugees-isis-2016-4>: “We
   can't let this happen. But you have a lot of them resettling in Rhode
   Island. Just enjoy your — lock your doors, folks….who knows, who knows,
   maybe it's ISIS.”

Undermining Our Key Alliances

At a time that calls for strengthening our cooperation with our allies to
tackle shared challenges, Donald Trump seems set on undermining them. He’s
called NATO obsolete, said we gain nothing from the United Nations or from
protecting our allies in Asia, and has said he’d ask Israel to reimburse
the US for military assistance:

   -

   Donald Trump, 3/29/16
   <http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2016/03/29/full-rush-transcript-donald-trump-cnn-milwaukee-republican-presidential-town-hall/>:
   “NATO has to be either changed, or we have to do something.”

   -

   Donald Trump on NATO, 3/30/16
   <http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2016/03/30/35330907-full-transcript-msnbc-town-hall-with-donald-trump-moderated-by-chris-matthews?lite>:
   “No, we don't really need NATO in its current form. NATO is obsolete… If we
   have to walk, we have to walk.”

   -

   Times of Israel, 3/22/16
   <http://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-says-hell-make-israel-pay-for-defense-aid/>:
   Trump says he’ll make Israel pay for defense aid

   -

   Foreign Policy, 4/7/16
   <http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/04/07/donald-trump-doesnt-understand-the-value-of-u-s-bases-overseas/>:
   Donald Trump Doesn’t Understand the Value of U.S. Bases Overseas

   -

   Trump meeting with Washington Post editorial board, 3/21/16
   <https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/03/21/a-transcript-of-donald-trumps-meeting-with-the-washington-post-editorial-board/>:
   HIATT: Well I guess the question is, does the United States gain anything
   by having bases [in Asia]? TRUMP: Personally I don’t think so. I personally
   don’t think so.

Trump’s Support For Brutal Dictators And Strongmen

Trump has expressed a disturbing amount of admiration for the actions of
widely reviled dictators and strongmen. He has praised the leadership of
Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Saddam Hussein, and even the Chinese
government’s strength in the Tiananmen Square massacre.

   -

   NBC News, 3/11/16
   <http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/trump-calls-tiananmen-square-protests-riot-defends-calling-crackdown-strong-n536761>:
   Trump Calls Tiananmen Square Protests a 'Riot,' Defends Calling Crackdown
   'Strong'

   - Donald Trump, 1990
      <http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432043/donald-trump-praised-tiananmen-square-massacre>:
      “When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government
      almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but
they put it
      down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is
      right now perceived as weak … as being spit on by the rest of the world”

   -

   Washington Post, 12/18/15
   <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/18/donald-trump-glad-to-be-endorsed-by-russias-top-journalist-murderer/>:
   Donald Trump isn’t fazed by Vladimir Putin’s journalist-murdering

   - Trump on Morning Joe, 12/18/15
      <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/18/donald-trump-glad-to-be-endorsed-by-russias-top-journalist-murderer/>:
      TRUMP: He's running his country, and at least he's a leader,
unlike what we
      have in this country. SCARBOROUGH: But, again: He kills journalists that
      don't agree with him. TRUMP: Well, I think that our country does
plenty of
      killing, too, Joe.

   -

   CNN, 12/19/15:
   <http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-bromance/>
   Donald Trump's bromance with Vladimir Putin

   -

   The Hill, 1/9/16
   <http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/265353-trump-kim-jong-un-deserves-credit-for-taking-out-rivals>:
   Trump: Kim Jong Un deserves ‘credit’ for taking out rivals

   - Donald Trump, 1/9/16
      <http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-north-korea-kim-jong-un-2016-1>:
      "And you've got to give him credit. How many young guys — he was
like 26 or
      25 when his father died — take over these tough generals…. It's
incredible.
      He wiped out the uncle. He wiped out this one, that one. I mean, this guy
      doesn't play games.”

   -

   Daily Beast, 2/16/16
   <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/16/donald-trump-s-insane-praise-of-saddam-hussein.html>:
   Donald Trump’s Insane Praise of Saddam Hussein

   - Donald Trump, 2/15/16
      <http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-na-trump-south-carolina-20160216-story.html>:
      “Saddam Hussein killed terrorists. He didn’t do it politically
correct. He
      found a terrorist, they were gone within five seconds, OK. With
us, we find
      a terrorist, it’s going to be 25 years and a trial.”

On Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 9:56 AM, Paustenbach, Mark <[email-masked]>
wrote:

> Great!
>
> Mark Paustenbach
> National Press Secretary &
> Deputy Communications Director
> Democratic National Committee
> 202.863.8148
> [email-masked]
>
> On Apr 27, 2016, at 9:55 AM, Zac Petkanas <[email-masked]>
> wrote:
>
> The call is definitely 3pm now.  We're going to advise shortly. Although,
> we may be adding another expert, which would push the advisory back a bit.
> I almost have a final of the pre-buttal release that details the top hits.
>
> On Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Paustenbach, Mark <[email-masked]>
> wrote:
>
>> Hey Zac,
>>
>> Hope all's well.
>>
>> Just let us know when you've nailed down a time for your Trump foreign
>> policy press call and if there are any points you'd like us to amplify
>> today.
>>
>> Best,
>> Mark
>>
>> Mark Paustenbach
>> National Press Secretary &
>> Deputy Communications Director
>> Democratic National Committee
>> 202.863.8148
>> [email-masked]
>
>
>