In a softball interview with former Mexican president Vicente Fox on Friday’s NBC Today, the morning show hosts teed up the foreign leader to denounce President Trump’s immigration and border security policies while ignoring a series of inflammatory statements from Fox.
At the top of the show, co-host Matt Lauer hyped: “Showdown. President Trump and Mexico's president locked in a fiery spat over who will foot the bill for that border wall.” He then teased: “This morning we'll be joined by the former Mexican leader, who famously said this about the controversy.” A soundbite followed of Fox’s profanity-laced tirade against Trump during the 2016 campaign: “I’m not pay for that f***king [bleeped] wall.”
Minutes later, Lauer began the friendly exchange by asking: “You are a student of history. I wonder if you could compare where we are right now in U.S./Mexico relations to any other difficult times you've seen?” Fox outlandishly proclaimed: “Well, I think we are at the very lowest point since the war between Mexico and the United States....”
He applauded how the current leader of Mexico was opposing Trump: “President Pena’s stand in front of this playing guy Trump has brought back a very strong Mexican spirit. And we're ready for the trade war. We're ready, of course, for not paying that wall.”
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Rather than challenge Fox on any of his bombastic language, fill-in co-host Natalie Morales simply wondered: “Is there any sort of diplomatic resolution at this point, President Fox?” He responded: “No, none at all, because President Pena is very firm on the position. And now that Trump keeps playing around with everybody, keeps throwing smoke balls by proposing a 20% tax on Mexican imports, it's nonsense. He's playing around with American people. He's playing around with media...”
Later in the segment, Lauer sympathized:
You've said that this debate has energized the Mexican people, but your current president [Enrique Pena Nieto] is in a difficult spot. He’s got historically low approval ratings, about 12%. The Mexican people want him to stand up to Donald Trump and protect their reputation, but if he draws a line in the sand, President Fox, doesn't he risk severe economic impact to his country?
Fox declared: “He, President Pena, is already coming back to much higher popularity levels. I know that [former] President Cardenas, when he nationalized the oil industry and took it away from abusive U.S. oil corporations, he became the most popular president in Mexico. So this is a big opportunity for President Pena, personally, to recuperate his leadership in Mexico.”
After Morales asked about President Pena canceling a meeting with Trump, Fox praised: “Yeah, it was a very wise move....And I think President Trump is playing around with everybody...and it will not work for him....He has now faced his first defeat and he cannot digest a defeat. His ego doesn't let him do that, so he keeps on aggressing...”
Fox was not only on the Today show on Friday morning, but also made appearances on CNBC’s Squawk Box, where he called Trump “a child,” and on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where he told the American president to “grow up.”
Here is a full transcript of the January 27 interview on Today:
7:00 AM ET TEASE:
MATT LAUER: Showdown. President Trump and Mexico's president locked in a fiery spat over who will foot the bill for that border wall.
DONALD TRUMP: The American people will not pay for the wall.
LAUER: The Mexican president canceling a planned White House meeting. This morning we'll be joined by the former Mexican leader, who famously said this about the controversy.
VICENTE FOX: I’m not pay for that f***king [bleeped] wall.
7:06 AM ET SEGMENT:
MATT LAUER: We are joined now by Vicente Fox. He served as Mexico’s president from 2000 to 2006. President Fox, good morning. Nice to talk to you.
VICENTE FOX: Good morning, Matt, good morning Natalie, good morning United States.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump’s Border Battle Heats Up; Fmr. Mexican President Fox on Trump’s Plan]
LAUER: You know, you are not only a former president of Mexico, but are you a history buff. You are a student of history. I wonder if you could compare where we are right now in U.S./Mexico relations to any other difficult times you've seen?
FOX: Well, I think we are at the very lowest point since the war between Mexico and the United States or before the nationalization of the oil by President Cardenas, where he took away from the oil companies that were abusing over Mexico. He took away the industry, nationalized it. And I think it was a very courageous, very strong thing to do, but welcomed by all Mexicans. Just as today, President Pena’s stand in front of this playing guy Trump has brought back a very strong Mexican spirit. And we're ready for the trade war. We're ready, of course, for not paying that wall.
NATALIE MORALES: Yes, because you've adamantly said Mexico will not pay for this wall. President Trump is adamantly insisting Mexico will. Though how that is gonna happen may be somewhat complicated. Is there any sort of diplomatic resolution at this point, President Fox?
FOX: No, none at all, because President Pena is very firm on the position. And now that Trump keeps playing around with everybody, keeps throwing smoke balls by proposing a 20% tax on Mexican imports, it's nonsense. He's playing around with American people. He's playing around with media because if he can tax, who is going to be paying at the end for the wall is the same American people, the American consumers.
LAUER: Do you think it will spark a wider trade war?
FOX: I don't think he will do it because there is so much to lose for United States, starting with 10 million jobs where Mexico is accountable for U.S. citizens by what we import every year into Mexico, 250 billion U.S. dollars So the first big loss to United States is 10 million U.S. workers’ jobs, which he has promised to protect. And he's doing exactly the opposite.
LAUER: You've said that this debate has energized the Mexican people, but your current president is in a difficult spot. He’s got historically low approval ratings, about 12%. The Mexican people want him to stand up to Donald Trump and protect their reputation, but if he draws a line in the sand, President Fox, doesn't he risk severe economic impact to his country?
FOX: He, President Pena, is already coming back to much higher popularity levels. I know that President Cardenas, when he nationalized the oil industry and took it away from abusive U.S. oil corporations, he became the most popular president in Mexico. So this is a big opportunity for President Pena, personally, to recuperate his leadership in Mexico.
MORALES: Right. President Fox, do you think that President Pena made the right move by canceling his visit here to the United States? Could there have been some middle ground, some more discussion, had he met face-to-face with President Trump?
FOX: Yeah, it was a very wise move, because at this stage, Trump keeps pretending to play around with U.S. citizens, as well with Mexico. But now he found out that you don't play around with Mexico. As we say, we’re “chiquitos pero picosos,” we might not be too big, but we are smart and we're firm. When we’re speaking about sovereignty, when we're speaking about honesty, when we're talking about dignity. And this is what President Pena is defending. It doesn't matter what the amount of money is. It's a matter of sovereignty, it's an emotional – very emotional subject in Mexico. And I think President Trump is playing around with everybody, throwing these smoke balls, and it will not work for him. He has now faced his first defeat and he cannot digest a defeat. His ego doesn't let him do that, so he keeps on aggressing, conflicting the situation worldwide.
LAUER: Former Mexican president Vicente Fox. President Fox, I really appreciate your time this morning, thank you.
