Donald Trump has spent most of the day fawning over Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, in the States for the first time since he (according to the CIA) ordered a US-based journalist’s murder
Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman yesterday – granting him a lavish reception and fawning Oval Office welcome for his first visit to the US since the vicious murder and dismemberment of Washington Post Journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Interestingly, as MBS isn’t technically head of state, it isn’t technically a state visit – but you wouldn’t know it. He was granted a fighter jet flypast, a military welcome with trumpets and a lavish black tie dinner. Meanwhile…Congress voted to release the Epstein files, but no big deal.
Meanwhile, in Trumpworld
- Team Trump vows revenge
- There’s a problem with his deflections
- He called for a broadcaster to be banned
- Stephen Miller was very angry at the idea of the military following the law
- And Mike Pence was unimpressed
Here’s everything you need to know
Epstein
1. Congress votes to release Epstein files
The House of Representatives had barely sent the newly passed bill to force the release of the Epstein Files to the Senate before it was approved there too. It passed the House vote by a whopping 427 votes to 1. The bill forces the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison.
It allows for redactions about the victims or ongoing investigations but not information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”
We’ll see.
2. Trump is mad about it
Trump, as we’ve mentioned in recent days has been on a bit of a journey with this one – going from branding it a Democrat hoax and demanding Republicans oppose it to…branding it a Democrat has and demanding Republicans vote for it. It seems, though, that he’s pretty annoyed about being backed into a corner and his allies are promising vengeance.
“The Democrats are going to come to regret this,” a White House official told Politico. “Let’s start with Stacey Plaskett. You think we’re not going to make a scene of this?”
Plaskett is the non-voting House delegate from the US Virgin Islands, whom it was revealed last week had been texting with Epstein during a congressional hearing, and getting tips for her questions.
Although whether an all-out blitz on a non-voting House delegate from the US Virgin Islands is likely to have Democrats quaking in their boots remains to be seen.
3. There’s just one problem
Any time Trump gets asked about the Epstein files these days, his big strategy is to deflect it onto the Democrats. “We have nothing to do with Epstein,” he said in the Oval yesterday. “The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats.”
There’s just one problem with that… at the time the Epstein files relate to – between 2002 and 2005 – Donald Trump was a registered Democrat.
4. Maybe I’ll just ban ABC…
Trump openly mused about banning broadcaster ABC, after one of its journalists asked perfectly reasonable questions – first about Jamal Khashoggi, more of which later, and then about the Epstein files.
In his second public meltdown in as many days after being asked questions about Epstein, he said: I’ll tell you something, I think the licence should be taken away from ABC, because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, the chairman, who should look at that. Because I think when you come in and you’re 97% negative to Trump and then Trump wins the election in a landslide, that means that obviously your news is not credible. And you’re not credible as a reporter.” He also said the questions asked by the reporter were “insubordinate”, which is just gross.
General authoritarianism
5. Stephen Miller loudly complains as Democrats urge the military not to break the law
In a social media message aimed at members of the military an intelligence community, a group of Congressional Democrats who are ex-Armed Forces or intelligence officers released a video. “We know you are under enormous pressure right now. Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our unformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution. Right now the threats to our constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.
“Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No-one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution. We know this is hard, and that it’s a difficult time to be a public servant. But whether you’re serving in the CIA, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force – your vigilance is critical and know that we have your back, because the American people need you. We need you to stand up for our laws, our constitution, and who we are as Americans. Don’t give up the ship.”
Stephen Miller, the White House’s deputy prince of darkness, was of course, incensed by the concept of the military not breaking the law. “Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection,” he tweeted. “Ten years after the Deep State Russia Hoax, top Democrats openly appeal to CIA and military officials to engage in rebellion against their Commander-in-Chief. Do not underestimate how dangerously radicalised the Democrat party has become.”
Senator Mark Kelly, who was involved in the video, replied: “I got shot at serving our country in combat, and I was there when your boss sent a violent mob to attack the Capitol. I know the difference between defending our Constitution and an insurrection.”
Khashoggi
6. Trump defends MBS
Trump defended the Saudi leader accused of being behind the brutal murder of a US-based journalist – and berated an ABC News reporter for “embarrassing” his guest by asking about it. In shocking remarks, Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who US intelligence concluded in 2018 ordered the vicious killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and critic of his regime. He said Khashoggi was “controversial” and “a lot of people didn’t like” him – before claiming Salman knew nothing about his murder. Trump dismissed the murder, saying “things happen.”
7. Pence: I wouldn’t have said that…
Mike Pence has been on a tour of the UK, and gave a speech to the Chatham House think tank this morning. He gave the impression of a man who hasn’t quite worked out how bad things are for him, repeatedly denying US democracy was under threat from Trump and saying he had faith in the American people to cherish the rule of law. Which coming from a man who was nearly strung up by a mob of American people seems a bit optimistic.
Nevertheless, he did have one pop at his old boss – over his Khashoggi remarks.
Asked whether he agreed with Trump’s claim that Salman “knew nothing about” the murder, Pence said: “I would not have said that. Beyond that…I really can’t speak to intelligence I was exposed to. What I can tell you is I would not have made that statement.”
He acknowledged the US relationship with Saudi Arabia was a “very important one to move forward on”.
But he said: “I can tell you just simply, had I been given the opportunity to be sitting in that right hand chair in front of the fireplace, the meeting would have gone a little different.”