‘Hang On, Scott’: CNN’s Abby Phillip Explains to Scott Jennings Why Taking Territory by Force Is Bad
On Tuesday’s CNN NewsNight, Scott Jennings defended Donald Trump after the president-elect floated outlandish ideas about taking territory from U.S. allies.
In recent days, Trump has suggested acquiring Greenland from Denmark, seizing the Panama Canal, and – most implausibly – making Canada the “51st state.” Trump floated a Greenland acquisition in his first term, but was rebuffed by the Danes, who have made clear the autonomous territory is not for sale this time around either.
Trump hit upon these ideas again in a press conference on Tuesday, where he refused to rule out military action against any country.
On Tuesday, NewsNight hosted by Abby Phillip, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) declared, “Everything’s on the table from a foreign policy standpoint.”
“But America is not an expansionist military power,” said Josh Rogin of The Washington Post. “Not in the 21st century.”
“Why?” Jennings asked. “Why not?”
“Because that’s not the world that we live in,” Rogin replied.
Jennings’ remark prompted Phillip to intervene:
PHILLIP: Hold on, Scott. You answer that question. Why is the United States not–
ROGIN: So, you’re for attacking Greenland. Is that what you’re saying?
PHILLIP: Why is the United States not an expansionist military power?
ROGIN: Are you open to the idea of attacking Greenland?
JENNINGS: No, we don’t need to attack Greenland. We could buy it.
ROGIN: We can’t buy it. It’s not up for sale. So, what you’re saying is not true.
JENNINGS: Everything’s not for sale until it is.
PHILLIP: Hang on, Scott. We helped create a world order in which we said, “You cannot just decide you want that country, and then take your military and go into that country and take it, ok?” So, that is the era of not being an expansionist military era for the United States. And you’re saying that’s not true. Why is it not true?
JENNINGS: Well, I mean, you can think small if you want to. I think Trump’s thinking big, and he’s thinking about interests. There are U.S. interests in Greenland. They have rare Earth minerals. We already have some kind of space facility there. And it would help fortify us against the Russians. The Panama Canal is, of course, of interest when you consider the Chinese incursions and influence in this hemisphere.
What Donald Trump is saying to the world is we are not a shrinking violet anymore. We are the United States of America. We are the preeminent superpower. And reporters keep asking him to rule things out and take things off the table. And it would be the height of stupidity to do so now, or to anything else before he takes office. Why would he tell the rest of the world what he may or may not do?
Watch above via CNN.
