Former Illinois Rep. Michael Patrick Flanagan praised President Donald Trump's tougher approach to dealing with the United Nations after the General Assembly condemned his Jerusalem recognition, telling Newsmax TV on Friday that "it's about time we stop just giving money away around the world."
"That's been the form of diplomacy we've used," Flanagan told host J.D. Hayworth. "We bribe, we walk around with bags of money from the USAID, cash, or whatever else is involved — and we make 'friends' in the world by buying them.
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"The businessman, Trump, as opposed to the politicians, Bush or Obama before him, the businessman doesn't see a need to bribe for friends.
"There are other ways to get it.
"The ways to get it are through trade and military assistance and all sorts of other ways — and he's working on it," he told Hayworth. "It's really a very smart way to do it.
"It's going to be a culture shock for the UN and the General Assembly, which is largely a collection of dictators.
"I applaud it," Flanagan said. "It's about time — and I'm glad we're doing it."
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