Hillary Clinton on Trump: ‘As an American, I’m pretty worried’
In her first interview since the presidential election, Hillary Clinton said Thursday that while she has mostly recovered from her devastating loss, she continues to feel apprehensive about the country’s direction under President Trump.
“As a person, I’m OK,” she said. “As an American, I’m pretty worried.”
The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof interviewed Clinton in front of a packed theater at New York’s Lincoln Center to close out Day 2 of the annual Women in the World Summit. Following a brief but affectionate introduction by comedian Samantha Bee (“It should have been you,” the “Full Frontal” host told Clinton), the former secretary of state unpacked her thoughts on her November defeat, reported Russian interference in the election, and the Trump administration’s chaotic kickoff.
Urging a bipartisan investigation into the Kremlin’s role in the election, Clinton warned that Russia was probably emboldened by the outcome of its meddling.
“Because of the success the Kremlin has had, they’re not going to go away,” Clinton said. “If we don’t take action to hold whoever was involved accountable, they will be back, time and time again.”
Having dealt with Russian President Vladimir Putin during her tenure as secretary of state, Clinton cautioned that his loyalties — despite Russia’s alleged role in trying to help elect Trump — lie solely with advancing his own interests.
“This is somebody who plays the long game,” she said of Putin. “He plays three-dimensional chess. He’s always trying to figure out how to advantage himself, his oligarchic companions, and his country — in that order.”
In response to a question about how the U.S. should deal with Syrian President Bashar Assad, she said, “I really believe that we should have and still should take out his airfields and prevent him from being able to use them to bomb innocent people and drop sarin gas on them.”
Clinton emphasized the importance of understanding the deep roots of Assad’s commitment to the brutal legacy of his father and predecessor, Hafez al-Assad. “He is absolutely a prisoner of his family’s expectations, his dead father’s looming presence, and his delusion that — I believe he could now probably pass a lie detector about it — that everyone who opposes him is a terrorist.”
Turning to her onetime opponent’s turbulent first months in office, Clinton said, “I don’t take any pleasure in seeing the kind of chaotic functioning” in the Trump White House. Specifically, she cited a weak transition effort as the reason for the administration’s “public growing pains.” She also expressed incredulity at what she characterized as a malicious Trump administration agenda, particularly toward women.
“I don’t understand the commitment to hurt so many people that this administration, this White House, seems to be pursuing,” Clinton said. “The targeting of women, which is what’s going on, is absolutely beyond any political agenda. There’s something else happening here.”
Clinton also pointed to the GOP’s failed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which she called “somewhat gratifying,” as proof of the party’s hostility toward women.
“The things that come out of some of these men’s mouths, like, ‘Why do we have to cover maternity care?’ Well, I don’t know, maybe you were dropped by immaculate conception,” she said to rousing applause.
In addition to writing a book reflecting on her election loss, Clinton said her plans include recruiting young people, specifically young women, to run for office. Acknowledging the intense scrutiny women in politics face, Clinton advised: “Be ready. It is not a new phenomenon, but it feels new and painful every time it happens to you.”
Despite all that, Clinton insisted, “not only is [public service] a worthy and very satisfying way to … make a living, but we really need you.”
