Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump 'Not Qualified' To Be President
DES MOINES, Iowa (CBSNewYork/AP) - Hillary Clinton says Donald Trump is "not qualified'' to be president of the United States.
During an interview on CNN Thursday, the Democratic front-runner criticized the presumptive Republican nominee, questioning his ability to handle complex foreign policy challenges and decrying a "pattern" of "irresponsible, reckless dangerous comments.''
Asked if she thought Trump was qualified for the job, Clinton was direct.
"No, I do not. And I think in this past week, whether it's attacking Great Britain, praising the leader of North Korea, a despotic dictator who has nuclear weapons, whether it is saying pull out of NATO, let other countries have nuclear weapons. The kinds of positions he is stating and the consequences of those positions and even the consequences of his statements are not just offensive to people, they are potentially dangerous," Clinton said.
Clinton criticized Trump for his call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S., saying he is "sending a message to the Muslim world," adding that as a result Trump "is being used to essentially be a recruiter for more people to join the cause of terrorism."
"I know how hard this job is, and I know that we need steadiness as well as strength and smarts in it, and I have concluded he is not qualified to be president of the United States," Clinton said.
There's been no response yet from Trump to Clinton's comments.
Recent polls by Fox News and Rasmussen showed Trump beating Clinton in a general election by three points and five points respectively, if it were held today.
Looking ahead to the general election, Clinton asserted that she "will be the nominee for my party,'' noting her lead in delegates and votes over Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders. On division among Democrats, she said she was committed to party unity, but argued that Sanders will have to play a role in bringing Democrats together.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
