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Kerry censures Trump over foreign policy views

US Secretary of State John Kerry (AFP photo)

US Secretary of State John Kerry has denounced presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over his views on foreign policy and cultural diversity.

Speaking during a commencement speech at Northeastern University in the US state of Massachusetts on Friday, Kerry took a swipe at the billionaire businessman’s policy statements on immigration, national security and foreign trade.

"Classmates of every race, religion, gender, shape, size, 85 countries represented and dozens of languages spoken; you are the most diverse class in Northeastern’s history. In other words, you are Donald Trump’s worst nightmare," Kerry said.

"We will never come out on top if we accept advice from sound bites salesmen and carnival barkers who pretend that the most powerful country on earth can remain great by looking inwards and hiding behind walls at a time when technology has made that impossible to do and unwise to even attempt," said Kerry, indirectly referring to Trump’s isolationist policies.

"The desire to turn inward and shut out the world may be especially seductive in an era as complicated as this, but it is not a responsible choice,” he added.

"[Y]ou don’t have to be great at math to understand that our economy can’t grow if we don’t sell things to the 95 percent of the world’s customers who live in other countries," Kerry continued.

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures to supporters during a rally in Eugene, Oregon on May 6, 2016. (AFP photo)

Kerry’s rebuke of Trump came right on the day when US President Barack Obama called for the scrutiny of the GOP candidate's past record, saying the US presidency is not a "reality show".

"I think I just want to emphasize the degree to which we are in serious times and this is a really serious job. This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States," Obama said.

“Every candidate, every nominee, needs to be subject to exacting standards and genuine scrutiny,” he added.

Trump's campaign has been marked by controversial statements, including with disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants and Muslims.

The real estate mogul has proposed to stop illegal immigration by building a wall on the US-Mexico border, and banning Muslims from entering the United States until their identities are confirmed.

He has also called current free trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, disastrous to the interests of the American people and pledged to renegotiate them. 


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