Watch This Incredibly Cringeworthy Sky News Interview With Donald Trump
Even for Sky News, this is bad.
So you’re a Very Serious Journalist and you’ve been handed the chance of a lifetime: A one-on-one interview with the leader of the free world, Donald Trump. What do you do? If you’re Sky News host Paul Murray, you apparently ask a series of the dumbest questions ever.
It’s been known for a while that Murray was angling for some time with Trump during Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s state visit to the US over the weekend. The right-wing commentator has reportedly been using his close relationship with the PM’s office to get a foot in the White House door.
And it paid off on Saturday as Trump stopped by for a brief chat before the state dinner held in Morrison’s honour.
So what burning question did Murray open with? Perhaps he asked about whether the US could learn from Australia’s successful gun laws, or what role Australia should play as the US and China jostle for global superiority. Maybe he asked about the possibility that Australia will join the US in taking military action against Iran.
No.
“Have you had a good day with with your Aussie mates?” was the opening salvo, and things went downhill from there.
The next question was more sycophantic than the first: “What do you want to say to your many Australian supporters who wish you nothing but the best in November 2020?”
Paul Murray gets his exclusive with @realDonaldTrump but talk about not asking the hard questions. pic.twitter.com/5QnxMW5cHh
— Stephen Mayne (@MayneReport) September 20, 2019
Murray then took a dig at the “fake news media”, before attempting a question that came within a whisker of of actually being about policy: “About China, you know that Australia is invested in both sides of this. What concerns you most about China? Is it tariffs, or the potential of tanks one day?”
Murray then asked Trump why he prefers Scott Morrison to Malcolm Turnbull, and wrapped up the journalistic tour de force with one final, searing question: “What’s the best thing you’ve ever ordered from the kitchen downstairs?”
Actual journalists were just baffled by the whole thing.
I’m sorry. This is just embarrassing. https://t.co/5SMOW4UjZh
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) September 20, 2019
watching laura jayes try to keep a straight face makes this insane fucked up clip worth it https://t.co/pSrec1QuTN
— Luke Hopewell (@lukehopewell) September 23, 2019
My word. https://t.co/1Zz4Z7ZS1B
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) September 21, 2019
For his part, Paul Murray says he’s not bothered by the criticism, telling radio station 2GB today that he never intended to conduct a forensic investigation.
“This was never going to be the interrogation of Donald Trump… this was an honour.”
“I just wanted to give him the chance to say what he thought about Australia and that will mean you’ll cop criticism for it and who cares.”
Get that man a Walkley.