Monday, May 28, 2018

Complete timeline of Trump-Kushner connection to Saudi Arabia, UAE isn't secret—but still shocking

Jared Kushner is seen at the Royal Court after US President Donald Trump received the Order of Abdulaziz al-Saud medal in Riyadh on May 20, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN        (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump lies as readily as he breathes. But when he says that he values business relationships above all else, believe him. 
The story of Donald Trump, his son-in-laws Jared Kushner, and their support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the isolation and assault on Qatar isn’t something that has played out in secret. It was right there, and it was obvious. As the United States delivered a fresh shipment of 6,000 missiles to the Saudis and warships sat off the Qatar coast, Donald Trump made no effort to disguise the fact that he was playing favorites among U.S. allies. Trump and Kushner were partying in Riyadh, Qatar was losing $20 billion a month, and it was all exactly as they planned. 
While the discovery that Donald Trump Jr. hosted a soiree that included representatives for UAE and Saudi princes there to offer their assist to the Trump campaign may seem shocking, but it shouldn’t be. After all, these are Trump’s people. These are the people who have multi-million dollar investments in Trump golf courses and Trump hotels. These are the people who Trump sold $50 million apartments. These are the people who had visibility on Trump’s radar.
“Saudi Arabia — and I get along great with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.” READ MORE

TRUMP PART LXXV

Erik Prince, former Navy Seal and founder of private military contractor Blackwater USA, arrives to testify during a closed-door House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, November 30, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB        (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

It’s against the law for foreigners—individuals or governments—to be involved in U.S. elections. But Mark Mazzetti, Ronen Bergman, and David D. Kirkpatrick at The New York Times have ferreted out evidence that an emissary for the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates met in Trump Tower in August 2016 with Don Trump Jr. along with an Israeli specialist in social media manipulation and a well-known—some would say notorious—private security contractor. The men were there, the reporters say they have learned, to discuss assisting Donald Trump in gaining the presidency.
It’s unknown whether any plan that emerged from the meeting was implemented. But soon after the election, the emissary paid the social media specialist a large sum, what one associate said was $2 million:

Republican senator weeps for shooter who murdered eight classmates and two teachers

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 15:  Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) talks to reporters following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol May 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump joined Senate Republicans and addressed the group about the robust economy and the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.  (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
As always, when there is a mass shooting in America, Republicans go out of their way to blame everything except guns. And last week’s mass murder (that left eight students and two teachers dead at a Texas high school) was no exception. But this may be a first: a Republican senator seems to be blaming … the victims?  READ MORE

TRUMP PART LXXIV

TRUMP PART LXXIII