Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has failed in his first foreign policy test, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton said as the real estate tycoon returned from Mexico City after meeting the Mexican President.
“Trump just failed his first foreign test. Diplomacy isn’t as easy as it looks,” said 68-year-old Ms. Clinton in a tweet.
Mr. Trump (70), has almost no experience in foreign policy as compared to Ms. Clinton who served as the US Secretary of State during the first term of the Obama Administration.
Ms. Clinton’s critical comment came after a controversy erupted on building a wall along the Mexico border, a major election plank of Mr. Trump.
The Mexican President tweeted that during the meeting he told Mr. Trump that Mexico would not pay for the wall.
However, Mr. Trump said that he never discussed this with the Mexican President.
The Hillary Campaign slammed Mr. Trump for visiting Mexico to meet its President at his invitation.
“Donald Trump has made his outlandish policy of forcing Mexico to pay for his giant wall the centerpiece of his campaign. But at the first opportunity to make good on his offensive campaign promises, Trump choked,” said John Podesta from Hillary for America Chair.
“What we saw today from a man who claims to be the ultimate ‘deal maker’ is that he doesn’t have the courage to advocate for his campaign promises when he’s not in front of a friendly crowd. We know who he is,” he said.
“After today’s trip, we still know where Trump stands: an immigration plan that would deport 16 million people, end birthright citizenship, repeal DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and build a USD 25 billion wall and stick the American taxpayers with the bill,” Mr. Podesta said.
However, the Trump campaign defended the decision to travel to Mexico.
“Today was the first part of the discussion and a relationship builder between Trump and President Pena Nieto.
It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate. It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation,” said Jason Miller, senior communications advisor of the Trump campaign.
“Today in his Mexico press conference, Donald Trump lied about discussing how to pay for his wall with the Mexican president,” said Democratic National Committee national press secretary Mark Paustenbach.
“Trump has boasted for months that he is going to get Mexico to pay for his ridiculous wall but when he came face to face with the Mexican President he got out manoeuvred and then tried to cover it up on worldwide TV. Simply put, Donald got rolled,” he said.
