Edward Snowden: Joe Biden Stopped Me Getting Asylum In US Allies
Edward Snowden has told MSNBC’S The 11th Hour with Brian Williams that former Vice President Joe Biden prevented him gaining asylum in countries allied to the United States. The NSA whistleblower, who is currently in exile in Russia, made the accusation in an exclusive interview.
“I applied for asylum in 27 different countries around the world, traditionally US allies, places like France and Germany, places like Norway, that I felt the US government and the American public could be comfortable it was fine for a whistleblower to be in,” Snowden said.
“And yet every time one of these governments got close to opening their doors, the phone would ring in their foreign ministries, and on the other end of the line would be a very senior American official. It was one of two people – then Secretary of State John Kerry or then Vice President Joe Biden.”
“I’m guessing Joe Biden is not your candidate for 2020?” Brian Williams asked.
“Actually I don’t take a position on the 2020 race. Look, it’s a difficult position being in the Executive Branch. It’s a difficult position being in power, and you have to make unpopular decisions. ”
Snowden also had criticism for President Donald Trump.
“I think he’s actually quite simple to understand,” Snowden said. “Donald Trump strikes me like nothing so much as a man who has never really known a love that he hasn’t had to pay for.”
“And so everything that he does is informed by a kind of transactionalism. I think and what he’s actually looking for is simply for people to like him, unfortunately that produces a lot of negative effects.”
You can watch the full interview here via MSNBC.
