Richard Boyd Barrett Asks if Trump's Threats Are 'Imperialism'
Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Deputy Prime Minister whether threats by Donald Trump should be condemned as 'imperialism'. He argued the government should apply the same criticism to Trump's national security posture as it has to Putin's actions in Ukraine.
Question to the Minister
He prefaced his remarks as a question to the Minister and requested a response, linking it to a prior question about Trump.
Comparison with Putin
He noted the government's repeated condemnation of Putin for deciding what happens in states around Russia, including the illegal occupation of Ukraine, and for calling that behaviour imperialism. He asked whether similar language and opposition should be applied to Trump's threats.
Specific targets and language cited
He cited passages in the US national security strategy and mentioned South America, Greenland and Venezuela as examples of areas where he said Trump had asserted a right to decide events. He quoted the idea of threatening "the easy way or the hard way" as evidence of that posture.
Call for equal condemnation
He asked directly whether the Deputy Prime Minister agreed that Trump's threats amounted to imperialism "every bit as much" as Putin's actions and whether they should be condemned, opposed and challenged to the same extent.
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Yeah, just to frame what I said in the initial statements as a question to the Minister, and I would appreciate your response, and it follows on from the last question about Trump. The government have repeatedly and rightly condemned Putin for believing that he has the right to decide what happens in states around Russia, including what he's done in Ukraine, the illegal occupation of Ukraine. You've condemned it, and you've called it imperialism. Listen, will you condemn Trump's threats against his neighbours and the national security strategy that they have published, where they have said they have the right to decide what goes on in South America, to threaten the easy way or the hard way, Greenland, Venezuela, whatever you may think about their government, Donald Trump hasn't the right to decide it. So, do you agree that that is imperialism every bit as much, and should be condemned and opposed and challenged every bit as much as the condemnations have come very freely about what Putin has done in Ukraine? Deputy Prime Minister
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