As soon as Bernard Arnault spoke, the expressions of the surrounding journalists turned to shock and complexity.
Some non-American journalists, upon hearing that Bernard Arnault’s donation excluded America, adopted an attitude of watching the drama unfold.
Meanwhile, American journalists, hearing these words, immediately showed grim expressions, feeling their country was being singled out.
In truth, for America, two hundred million dollars would not even cover the travel expenses for their nominal anti-terrorism operations, let alone fund counter-terrorism efforts, so they hardly needed Bernard Arnault’s donation.
However, for American journalists, it was not about the money; it was about not being discriminated against.
Thus, an American journalist, visibly indignant, asked, “Mr. Arnault, I’d like to know why you specifically excluded America from the use of this donation. I believe America has always been a global exemplar in counter-terrorism, a leader in such efforts. Nobody understands counter-terrorism better than us. Isn’t it somewhat inappropriate to treat us differently in this matter?”
Bernard Arnault looked at the journalist with surprise, jesting, “Your tone and manner remind me of an old acquaintance, though I won’t name names here.”
The journalists who caught the reference burst into laughter.
Still smiling, Bernard Arnault continued, “I’ll address your question directly. The reason these two hundred million dollars exclude America is that, to this day, neither Blackwater nor the American government has provided a satisfactory explanation for the terrorist attack on White Horse Island. They simply pushed out a scapegoat to gloss over the matter. I, for one, do not accept this. I believe Ms. Tawana Sweet would not accept it either, nor would any justice-minded people in the world!”
At this point, Bernard Arnault let out a cold snort, his face brimming with a sense of justice that seemed to spill off the screen. Raising one hand, he declared loudly, “If America cannot provide me with a satisfactory response on this matter, I have reason to suspect they are deliberately shielding Blackwater. If justice cannot be served in America, I am prepared to withdraw all my brands from the American market indefinitely! Excluding America from these two hundred million dollars in anti-terrorism funds is my way of expressing my stance to the American government!”
The surrounding journalists had not expected this man, typically seen as profit-driven, even inventing and perfecting the allocation system for profit, to display such a strong sense of justice at this moment.
American journalists exchanged glances, finding it unrealistic to confront him further. Bernard Arnault had seized the moral high ground. The White Horse Island incident, widely known and much discussed, had indeed left America somewhat in the wrong.
At that moment, the President was also following Bernard Arnault’s visit to America. He cared deeply about public opinion and was worried that this old man would speak recklessly. True to form, Arnault did not disappoint, launching into full-blown criticism the moment he stepped off the plane.
Even more infuriating, the old man dared to subtly mock him. This was intolerable.
With a darkened expression, he instructed his aides, “Quickly, tell the major media outlets to start writing articles to smear Bernard Arnault. Dig up any old dirt on him and publicise it thoroughly. Then, frame him as someone who came to America purely for publicity, not out of any genuine desire to fight terrorism.”
