Both Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said Thursday that the world leader they admire most is German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Well I think Merkel is a really great world leader but I was very disappointed that, when she, this move with the whole thing on immigration,” Trump said on NECN when asked what world leader he “would admire, respect would like to emulate.” The GOP nominee added, “I think it’s a big problem [on her migrant policy] and really you know to look at what she’s done in the last year and a half. I was always a Merkel person I thought really fantastic but I think she made a very tragic mistake a year and a half ago.”
When asked the same question as Trump, Clinton said, “One of my favorites is Angela Merkel because I think she’s been an extraordinary, strong leader during difficult times in Europe, which has obvious implications for the rest of the world and, most particularly, our country.”
The Democratic nominee added that, “her bravery in the face of the refugee crisis is something that I am impressed by.”
The question to both Trump and Clinton came a day after Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson was unable to name his favorite world leader. His running mate Bill Weld named Angela Merkel as his favorite world leader.
Trump had previously said during an August policy speech that Clinton wants to be “America’s Merkel.” “You know what a disaster this massive immigration has been to Germany and the people of Germany–crime has risen to levels that no one thought they would ever see. We have enough problems in our country, we don’t need another one,” Trump added.