Eric Lipton

And the president of Serbia was posted on Facebook how I'm roasting a pig tonight to have dinner with the son of the president of the United States as he's trying to keep his job as president because there's huge protest in Serbia.

And the president of Serbia was posted on Facebook how I'm roasting a pig tonight to have dinner with the son of the president of the United States as he's trying to keep his job as president because there's huge protest in Serbia.

And he's giving land to the family of the president to build the Trump International Hotel. So having that kind of interactions with foreign governments at the same time that you are directing foreign policy and making decisions, for example, should Saudi Arabia be able to get F-35s?

And he's giving land to the family of the president to build the Trump International Hotel. So having that kind of interactions with foreign governments at the same time that you are directing foreign policy and making decisions, for example, should Saudi Arabia be able to get F-35s?

Should the United States authorize the sale of advanced AI chips to Saudi Arabia or to UAE, Qatar, and what role is the military presence in Qatar? And Serbia, should the United States help Serbia's effort to get into the EU? I mean, these are all huge.

Should the United States authorize the sale of advanced AI chips to Saudi Arabia or to UAE, Qatar, and what role is the military presence in Qatar? And Serbia, should the United States help Serbia's effort to get into the EU? I mean, these are all huge.

And how are those choices influenced by the fact that money is flowing from those governments personally to the pockets of the President of the United States? that creates an appearance of corruption that really undermines the legitimacy of government in a way that is, for any person, would be disturbing.

And how are those choices influenced by the fact that money is flowing from those governments personally to the pockets of the President of the United States? that creates an appearance of corruption that really undermines the legitimacy of government in a way that is, for any person, would be disturbing.

And it's happening again and again and again in front of us at a scale that's much worse than the first term.

And it's happening again and again and again in front of us at a scale that's much worse than the first term.

Yeah, no, it's really interesting just because this nation for decades now has been the promoter of what is called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. I mean, we were effectively punishing people. companies and governments in nations around the world, if there ever was any type of a government contract that involved a payment to an executive, you know, abroad, basically.

Yeah, no, it's really interesting just because this nation for decades now has been the promoter of what is called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. I mean, we were effectively punishing people. companies and governments in nations around the world, if there ever was any type of a government contract that involved a payment to an executive, you know, abroad, basically.

And it was the United States was trying to enforce its value system across the world for decades now in Africa and Europe. And, you know, and Trump has basically announced that, you know, FCPA is, you know, it's the lingo in D.C. that they're not really going to do Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement anymore.

And it was the United States was trying to enforce its value system across the world for decades now in Africa and Europe. And, you know, and Trump has basically announced that, you know, FCPA is, you know, it's the lingo in D.C. that they're not really going to do Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement anymore.

I mean, I think the United States was successful in a way. I mean, you know, there's still parts of, you know, particularly like, you know, Democratic Republic of Congo, which I've spent some time writing about and where it's still overt and companies, the American companies left DRC mining companies because they were so concerned about the corruption and being accused of it.

I mean, I think the United States was successful in a way. I mean, you know, there's still parts of, you know, particularly like, you know, Democratic Republic of Congo, which I've spent some time writing about and where it's still overt and companies, the American companies left DRC mining companies because they were so concerned about the corruption and being accused of it.

But the United States to some extent has succeeded in really discouraging that kind of corruption. And so when you say Europe and Canada and other nations are like, they're, you know, they're reacting like, how is this possible? Because the United States actually successfully created a norm that now Trump is exploding. And it, it, So, I mean, to some extent he's benefiting.

But the United States to some extent has succeeded in really discouraging that kind of corruption. And so when you say Europe and Canada and other nations are like, they're, you know, they're reacting like, how is this possible? Because the United States actually successfully created a norm that now Trump is exploding. And it, it, So, I mean, to some extent he's benefiting.

Yeah. I mean, I think that if the United States is saying that it is okay to be completely transactional and to be accepting multi-billion dollar payments from foreign governments as you're making critical foreign policy decisions, It just opens up the world to a kind of a family oligarchical –

Yeah. I mean, I think that if the United States is saying that it is okay to be completely transactional and to be accepting multi-billion dollar payments from foreign governments as you're making critical foreign policy decisions, It just opens up the world to a kind of a family oligarchical –