Trevor Phillips Scorches Donald Trump And The West With 'Emperor's New Clothes' Analogy
Trevor Phillips poured scorn on Donald Trump this morning by comparing his presidency to the famous tale of the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes.’
Speaking after a week where the US kidnapped the Venezuelan president and renewed his past threats against Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Iran and Greenland, the Sky News presenter tore into the American administration for its international aggression – and US allies who have stayed quiet.
Pointing to Trump’s demand to make the Danish territory Greenland American land, Phillips recalled famous Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen.
“There’s always a moral in his fairy tales,” Phillops said, before recalling the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’, ”where two conmen persuade the emperor to buy a suit made of a cloth so fine only the cleverest, most accomplished people can see the material.”
He continued: “So the Emperor sets off for town in his new suit with all his baubles on show, but no one wanted to admit they couldn’t see this wonderful suit, because that would make them look a bit stupid.
“In Mr Trump’s eyes, the lesson is that the rules-based international order is nothing but an invisible suit, a total con job on America.
“For him what really counts is naked military and economic power.”
Phillips also pointed to another of Andersen’s tales, ‘The Wicked Prince’, to lambast Trump even further.
He said: “Once upon a time, there lived a wicked prince whose heart and mind were set upon conquering all the countries of the world – and on frightening the people.
“He made war with all his neighbours, and defeated them. Then he said, ‘I will conquer God.’
“Andersen wrote that in 1840. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work out that well for the wicked prince, the lesson being that pride, hubris and greed can send you mad.”
While European leaders did issue a joint statement reminding Trump that Greenland’s future can only be decided by the Arctic island and Denmark, the US president has so far ignored their messages.
European allies have also stopped short of accusing Trump of breaching international law over its aggressive action in Venezuela.