Outrage at President Trump’s speech to the United Nations on Tuesday sparked an inadvertent compliment from his socialist critics — the Republican was likened to the late Ronald Reagan.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza lashed out at Mr. Trump after a speech before the U.N. General Assembly, but the content is not likely to be perceived as he intended by “Reagan Democrats” and Republican voters across the U.S.
The official’s press conference after Mr. Trump highlighted Venezuela’s economic implosion included a reference to the 40th U.S. President.
“For a moment, we didn’t know if we were listening to President Reagan in 1982 or President Trump in 2017,” Mr. Arreaza said, Fox News reported.
Mr. Trump had said Nicolas Maduro’s regime was failing because increased poverty and hardship are the logical results of socialist policies.
“The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented but that socialism has been faithfully implemented,” Mr. Trump said. “From the Soviet Union to Cuba, Venezuela — wherever through socialism or communism has been adopted, it has delivered anguish, devastation, and failure. Those who preach the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems. America stands with every person living under a brutal regime.”
John Roberts of Fox’s “Special Report” laughed at Mr. Arreaza’s press conference, saying, “If you’re going to try to insult a Republican, don’t compare him or her to Ronald Reagan.”
Reagan, a staunch anti-Communist and a defender of the free market, is given considerable credit by his supporters for the Cold War ending with the collapse of communism in Europe.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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