Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump predicted the British exit from the European Union correctly, unlike both President Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. But even more, Trump sounded more presidential on the topic than either of the two Democrats.
First, consider what Obama said:
But then he also said that Britain would move to the "back of the queue" in trade deals with the U.S. if it voted to leave the EU. That was almost a thuggish-sounding, "Nice country you got there. Shame if anything happened to it."
"Let me be clear: ultimately this is something the British voters have to decide for themselves.
"As part of our special relationship, part of being friends is to be honest and to let you know what I think, and speaking honestly, the outcome of that decision is a matter of deep interest to the US, because it affects our prosperity as well."
For her part, Hillary Clinton backed the President, basically saying the same thing, except for the "queue" thing, which she didn't mention.
On the other hand, Trump's comments on the subject were both more diplomatic and kinder to Britain, even as he suggested the Brexit was a good idea:
While I doubt these three Americans had any say in what actually happened in the Brexit vote, it is clear to me which of the three of them stands beside our friends in times of trouble, and which one uses threats to try and get what they want.
Trump, who happens to be in Scotland to open a golf resort, promised in May that leaving the EU would not put Britain at the “back of the queue,” and said: “I think if I were from Britain I would probably want to go back to a different system.” He reiterated that support last week, telling the Sunday Times: “I would personally be more inclined to leave, for a lot of reasons like having a lot less bureaucracy. … But I am not a British citizen. This is just my opinion.”
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