Not Mincing Words on the Trump Insurrection; and Dealing with China
2. “Who the f—k do you think you are talking to?”
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California), House minority leader, to President Donald Trump, 6 January 2021
Setting
Trump, in his effort to subvert the 3 November election so he can remain in office in defiance of the will of the American voters, incited his supporters to attack the Capitol on 6 January in order to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the 3 November election.
Trump was watching the violent assault on the Capitol unfolding on TV – “delighted” with what he was seeing, according to Senator Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) — and refused the urgent and repeated pleas from White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and lawmakers to call his violent supporters off. Instead, while the assault on Congress was underway, Trump and Rudy Giuliani were calling lawmakers – while these lawmakers were in hiding in secure places to protect them from the violent mob – urging them to delay the certification of the election results.
One of the lawmakers who managed to get through to Trump was McCarthy, who called Trump while rioters were breaking into his office through glass windows.
The call, according to those with knowledge of how it went, quickly became a shouting match.
Trump first lied to McCarthy, telling him that the violent rioters were not his supporters at all, but rather followers of the anarchist antifa movement.
When McCarthy, barely containing himself, let Trump know, in no uncertain terms, that he – McCarthy – knew the president was lying and that the violent mob consisted of Trump supporters, Trump changed his tune, telling McCarthy that he — Trump – had no intention of calling off the rioters because they were more patriotic than McCarthy.
Trump told McCarthy: “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”
McCarthy did not mince words in his response to Trump: “Who the f—k do you think you are talking to?”
McCarthy then hung up on Trump.
3. “He Said, Xi Said”
The subject line of an email from the Atlantic Council anouncing a new series of studies on U.S.-China relations
Setting
The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council is offering its trilogy of strategic policy papers for dealing with the emerging Chinese challenge, each with a different angle.
In December, the Council released Global Strategy 2021: An Allied Strategy for China. This Atlantic Council Strategy Paperoffers a three-pronged approach for the U.S. and its allies and partners: strengthen the rules-based international order; defend against destabilizing behavior from China; and engage China from a position of strength to cooperate on shared interests and, ultimately, work with China in an adapted and revitalized rules-based order.
In January, the Council released another Atlantic Council Strategy Paper which offers a strategy for China. The Longer Telegram: Toward a New American China Strategy offers a deep analysis and understanding of China’s internal dynamic and Xi Jinping’s strategic objectives.
In the next month, the Council will release a major policy roadmap on transatlantic cooperation on China in key policy domains. The paper takes a focused look at how China is impacting the transatlantic relationship in all its facets, identifying areas of convergence and divergence between the United States and European Allies and partners. It outlines specific, actionable recommendations for policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic in building a common, transatlantic approach to address the challenges posed by China’s rise.
