President Barack Obama took to the global stage yesterday to warn Americans that US allies have been “rattled” by the rise of Donald Trump and his “ignorance of world affairs”.
Mr Obama told reporters at the summit of Group of Seven leaders in Japan that his counterparts were paying “very close attention” to the election and to statements the New York mogul has made during the presidential campaign.
“They are not sure how seriously to take some of his pronouncements but they are rattled by him,” Mr Obama said after talks with leaders from Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada. “And for good reason, because a lot of the proposals he has made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude or an interest in getting tweets and headlines instead of thinking through what it is that is required to keep America safe and secure and prosperous and what is required to keep the world on an even keel.”