The presidential candidates of both major political parties sought to flaunt their foreign policy credentials Monday by holding personal meetings with Egyptian junta leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has overseen a violent crackdown on political dissent, including large-scale massacres of protesters.
Following their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Donald Trump showered effusive praise on the dictator, with a readout [3] from his campaign stating that he “thanked President al-Sisi and the Egyptian people for what they have done in defense of their country and for the betterment of the world over the last few years.”
“Mr. Trump expressed to President al-Sisi his strong support for Egypt’s war on terrorism, and how under a Trump administration, the United States of America will be a loyal friend, not simply an ally, that Egypt can count on in the days and years ahead,” the campaign statement continued.
In one eyebrow-raising paragraph, Trump’s campaign stated, “Mr. Trump emphasized to President al-Sisi his high regard for peace-loving Muslims and understands that every day there are people of goodwill that sacrifice their lives and fortunes to combat the growing threat of radical Islamic terrorism.”