Former Secretary of State John Kerry spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday during which he took aim at President Trump.
Kerry was asked what his message to Trump would be, to which he first hesitated before answering “resign,” CNBC reported Tuesday.
“He doesn’t take any of this seriously. He doesn’t have the ability to have that kind of conversation,” Kerry said in his hesitation. His ultimate answer “resign” elicited laughter and applause from the audience.
Watch his comments below:
President Trump was scheduled to be at the forum, but canceled his appearance to remain in Washington during the partial government shutdown, which is now on day 32.
Trump was criticized for the cancelation, which he addressed in a tweet Tuesday morning.
“Last time I went to Davos, the Fake News said I should not go there,” he wrote. “This year, because of the Shutdown, I decided not to go, and the Fake News said I should be there. The fact is that the people understand the media better than the media understands them!” he said.
Last time I went to Davos, the Fake News said I should not go there. This year, because of the Shutdown, I decided not to go, and the Fake News said I should be there. The fact is that the people understand the media better than the media understands them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2019
Kerry also declared at the forum that “people will die because of the president’s decision” to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, CNBC reported.
The White House has not yet issued a response to Kerry’s remarks.
Kerry, who has been considered a potential 2020 presidential candidate, is no fan of President Trump’s.
He was among the leading members in negotiations that crafted the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and several global powers. He criticized President Trump for withdrawing from the deal, which he fought hard to salvage.
Kerry has held unauthorized meetings with top leaders in Iran, Germany, and France to discuss foreign policy since Trump’s inauguration.
Former State Department senior advisor to President’s Trump and Bush, Christian Whiton, called on Kerry to be prosecuted for his foreign policy meetings, which undermined Trump’s policies.
“Leave it to John Kerry to take it to a whole new level. He met with Iran’s foreign minister,” Whiton told Fox & Friends in May 2018. “[He] also met with the Germans and the French in an effort to undermine the President’s foreign policy.”
“I think he should be prosecuted under the Logan Act,” Whiton added.”If it’s going to be used against Republicans, and it was certainly used against Mike Flynn to create … the whole ‘entrapment’ of Flynn, […] then it is pretty plain that John Kerry is in violation of the act.”
The Logan Act prohibits citizens from holding unauthorized correspondence with foreign governments who are in dispute with the U.S.
