Trump's Harsh Words For Theresa May
LEMON: President Trump ramping up attacks on Britain's Ambassador to the United States. He's also had some harsh words for Prime Minister Theresa May. I want to talk about this now. Fareed Zakaria, the Host of CNN's "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" joins me now. Good to see you. Ambassador Darroch, we're talking about the leaked cables, clearly hit a nerve with the president, because he tweeted this out today. He said the wacky Ambassador to the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we were thrilled with, a very stupid guy. I don't know the ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool. It comes after he vowed that the administration no longer would even deal with him, then he went onto insult the British Prime Minister Theresa May on her Brexit -- failed Brexit negotiation. Why is he escalating this situation? What is going on?</s>FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I think it's his useful reminder in a way. Everything is about Trump personally. And, you know, what seems to have annoyed Trump so much was that the British ambassador's cables, the leaked cables, were about him personally. Not just about the administration. Look, ambassadors are meant to provide frank opinion and advice. Remember when the Wikileaks happened, you know, all these cables from American ambassadors all over the world. It was embarrassing. They said some very frank stuff. They said some very opinionated stuff. I was struck when we read through it -- just how opinionated they were. But that's good. You know, government depends on having their ambassadors tell them, look, this is what we think. You can't -- you know we were caught overhearing what Angela Merkel was saying on his cellphone. You've got to be -- you know, you can't personalize this.</s>LEMON: The cables say that he is -- his behavior is erratic and that he's thin-skinned by responding this way.</s>ZAKARIA: I mean it does, because professionals in these situations recognize, look, these things happen. Everybody has their own opinions. And, of course, Trump has no real idea about whether he's a good ambassador or a bad one. It's also worth pointing out, Don, the larger point, the substantive point which Donald Trump claims is at the heart of the disagreement is that Donald Trump gave Theresa May advice on Brexit, which she says she didn't take. His advice on Brexit is essentially nonsense. I mean he says that Britain should have gone and sued the European Union. Now, one doesn't know where to begin. Where would you sue the European Union, on what grounds? The only place Britain could sue the European Union would be in the European Union's Court of Justice, which Britain is saying it doesn't want to be part of. And what would be the grounds for suing them since Britain initiated the action of Brexit? It would be -- you know, it's like you don't know where to begin. So, you know, the substance here is that Donald Trump was offering nonsensical advice to the British prime minister. She seems to have wisely didn't take any of it. And now he's upset that the ambassador is in someway reflecting that reality.</s>LEMON: I'm glad you mentioned her because this is what her office saying tonight, because they're standing by Darroch. And they're saying we have made clear to the U.S. how unfortunate this leak is. At the same time, we have also underlined the importance of ambassadors being able to provide honest, unvarnished assessments of the politics in their country. U.K. Foreign Minister, Jeremy Hunt, also weighed in on Donald Trump's comments. Disrespectful and wrong, he said. Your diplomats give their private opinions to -- at Secretary Pompeo and so do ours. You said the U.K.-U.S. alliance was the greatest in history, and I agree. But allies need to treat each other with respect, as Theresa May has always done with you. Is Darroch just doing his job, giving honest opinion based on his experience?</s>ZAKARIA: Of course, of course. And look, it doesn't mean that Theresa May agrees with it. It doesn't that, you know, the British foreign policy will reflect that. We don't know what the American ambassador to Britain has said about Theresa May. He had may well have sent private cables saying, look, she's a weak prime minister. She's ineffective. And that's fine. That's, you know, that's part of the game. Everybody understands that. As I say, it's just that because it's about Donald Trump personally, he's gone ballistic. And he's jeopardizing the relationship with what he claims is our closest ally. We have meetings with ministers cancelled. There was a meeting between Wilbur Ross and his counterpart, the trade minister. That was cancelled, for what, because Donald Trump doesn't like a couple of words that were said about him. I mean grow up. You're the president of the United States. But as i say, I really want to get back to -- the substance of this is that Donald Trump was offering the most insane advice to the British about what they should do about Brexit. And they are wisely not taking it. That's what seems to be the thing that's really annoying him, is that they haven't realized his brilliance strategy for everything in life, which is to sue, sue, sue just doesn't apply in Brexit.</s>LEMON: Listen, I've got about 15 seconds left. These cables being released, why -- any idea why that would happen? Who would do that?</s>ZAKARIA: Well, you know somebody who wanted to embarrass him for -- that happens in government always. You know, at least happened in government by the losing side of any policy debate. When you lose the policy debate inside, you leak it out outside.</s>LEMON: Thank you, Mr. Zakaria, Fareed Zakaria. And be sure to watch Fareed Zakaria GPS Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Ross Perot passed away at the age 89 today. We're going to take a look at how he shook up the political system and changed the course of our country. That's next.