BBC Question Time in hysterics after panelist’s baffling Donald Trump comment

Thursday’s Question Time audience in Reading, Berkshire, appeared perplexed by Greg Swenson’s response to a point made by broadcaster Richard Bacon about Donald Trump

Question Time audience members laughed after a panelist insisted nothing frightens him about Donald Trump – and praised the US President’s “common sense”.

Greg Swenson, chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, came under fire on the BBC’s topical debate programme on Thursday night as attention again turned to the US President. When an audience member shared concerns “American aren’t the allies that we used to think they were,” broadcaster Richard Bacon described Mr Trump as a “frightening president”.

Mr Bacon, who has presented various radio shows across the BBC, turned to Mr Swenson to ask: “Is there anything about him that frightens you?” To which, Mr Swenson said: “No.” Mr Bacon pressed the political commentator further, asking: “Nothing?”

It left the audience members in Reading, Berkshire, in hysterics as Mr Swenson squirmed under the interrogation. Eventually, he said: “He (Mr Trump) is very candid and that is new. He is not a traditional politician, he is surely not a former diplomat at all.”

Addressing the audience member’s point about the US “not feeling like an ally,” Mr Swenson argued his associate wants all allies to be in “a better position” and “spend more on economies”. He then defended Mr Trump’s decision to slap tariffs on countries, including potentially the UK.

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“We, the US, cannot continue to fund these rade deficits by borrowing money because we have $36trillion in debts, four years ago we had $25trillion in debts and interest rates are twice as high,” the chairman of Republicans Overseas UK added.

“This is just reality. We have been protecting western Europe with our military, we cannot afford it anymore. We have been funding the six-week vacation in France in free healthcare by borrowing money every year to fund the trade deficits, so that’s just reality. This is a common sense president.”

At this point, Mr Bacon gasped and laughed – as did several members of the audience. Mr Bacon, who has also been a guest presenter on Good Morning Britain, retorted: “A common sense president?” before other panelists interjected.

The programme explored the meeting between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin this week, which resulted in the world leaders agreeing to a “limited ceasefire” in Ukraine.

Speaking after the telephone call, a White House spokesperson told reporters: “The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.

“In the context of the US President’s initiative to introduce a 30-day truce, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of combat contact, the need to stop forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearm the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Serious risks associated with the inability to negotiate of the Kyiv regime, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated the agreements reached, were also noted. Attention was drawn to the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of the Kursk region.”