On Friday, in part two of his interview with United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, NBC Today co-host Matt Lauer worried about how President Trump was viewed by the international organization: “As you walk through the halls of the United Nations, does this president have credibility?”
Haley replied: “You know what he has? He has every single country guessing on what the United States is going to do. That has given me an incredible amount of leverage across the street.” Lauer fretted: “That sounds great for our adversaries, it doesn't sound great for our allies.” Haley countered: “Our allies know we're with them. Ask Israel, are we with them? Ask Ukraine if we’re with them.”
Earlier in the exchange, Lauer scolded Trump for his past criticism of the U.N.:
President Trump has said some things about the U.N. in the past that are not all that complimentary. He said that to him it seems a little bit like a club where people get together, talk, and have a good time. That’s not an incredibly respectful thing to say about that building and the people in it...
He grilled Haley: “As the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, how does that not bother you?” She pushed back: “It doesn't bother me, because I think what we’ve seen is there's a lot of things that need to be fixed at the U.N.”
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In addition to demanding that Haley defend Trump, Lauer also questioned whether she had any influence in the administration:
Has he given you the power you need and the independence to do your job? Susan Rice and Samantha Power both had regular seats at the table for the National Security Council, the principals table. You don't have a regular seat. You are there when it's appropriate and when you're needed. Do you have as much clout in this position as they did under the Obama administration?
Haley assured him: “Matt, I wouldn't have taken the job if I didn't. And I can tell you, this president and this vice president, they have supported me in every way possible.”
It was quite audacious for Lauer to question Trump’s credibility and then cite the “clout” of former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, who was notoriously dishonest about the Benghazi attack during a series of interviews in 2012.
Here is a transcript of the exchange aired on the March 17 Today show:
8:21 AM ET
(...)
DONALD TRUMP: When do you see the United Nations solving problems? They don't. They cause problems.
MATT LAUER: President Trump has said some things about the U.N. in the past that are not all that complimentary. He said that to him it seems a little bit like a club where people get together, talk, and have a good time. That’s not an incredibly respectful thing to say about that building and the people in it over your shoulder. As the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, how does that not bother you?
NIKKI HALEY: It doesn't bother me, because I think what we’ve seen is there's a lot of things that need to be fixed at the U.N.
LAUER: I just want to remind people, you were not a supporter of Donald Trump during the campaign. You supported another candidate. Could you have ever imagined – I think at one point you even said he was everything a governor doesn't want in a president. Could you have ever imagined that one day you and he would get together and he would ask you to fill this position?
HALEY: Well, we were friends before and he was actually a supporter of mine before, but we had differences during the presidential. I always speak what I think, he knows that. And so when he approached me about having a position in his cabinet, you know, the opportunity to serve your country, I don't know that there's a bigger honor.
LAUER: Has he given you the power you need and the independence to do your job? Susan Rice and Samantha Power both had regular seats at the table for the National Security Counsel, the principals table. You don't have a regular seat. You are there when it's appropriate and when you're needed. Do you have as much clout in this position as they did under the Obama administration?
HALEY: Matt, I wouldn't have taken the job if I didn't. And I can tell you, this president and this vice president, they have supported me in every way possible.
LAUER: Well, then is it just a technicality? I mean, why aren't you given a regular seat at that table?
HALEY: I am. So far I've been there every time.
LAUER: As you walk through the halls of the United Nations, does this president have credibility?
HALEY: You know what he has? He has every single country guessing on what the United States is going to do. That has given me an incredible amount of leverage across the street.
LAUER: That sounds great for our adversaries, it doesn't sound great for our allies.
HALEY: Our allies know we're with them. Ask Israel, are we with them? Ask Ukraine if we’re with them.
(...)
