Lavish White House reception for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Also in the room: tech chiefs Jensen Huang, Tim Cook, Michael Dell, Brian Armstrong and Alexander Karp, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, venture capitalist David Sacks, billionaire investor Charles Schwab and many more from the city’s upper crust.
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo spoke highly of President Donald Trump at the dinner held in honor of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Credit: access point
Elon Musk returned to the White House for a state dinner with the Saudis and various tech executives.Credit: access point
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This is Trump, the New York businessman of the 1980s. Turning, dealing and enjoying the spoils.
And Trump is bringing 1980s attitudes to everyone who gets in his way. He is particularly sensitive to the idea that he has a conflict of interest with Saudi Arabia and others because of his business dealings with the kingdom, as well as his alleged use of the presidency to enrich himself and his family.
When ABC’s John Lyons serves He asked Trump about this issue in September. The American reporter investigating this issue today did the same. He was the same journalist who was assigned for asking the “insubordinate” question about the Khashoggi murder.
Circled: Christiano Ronaldo, Jensen Huang and Elon Musk.Credit: access point
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But that was nothing compared to the low-rent insult Trump directed at Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey. We were on Air Force One last week. “Quiet, piggy,” he spat as he tried to ask a follow-up question about Jeffrey Epstein.
As others have noted, the Epstein questions seem to create a special nastiness in Trump. He was clearly disappointed by the enduring nature of the saga and the refusal of many people in his own party to allow it.
Let’s be clear, the killing of Khashoggi was a state-sanctioned, extrajudicial plot by the Saudis to silence a dissident. He’s miles away from being rude to a reporter at a press conference.
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However, this all stems from the same authoritarian disdain for those who ask troubling questions or point out damaging facts. Many journalists in the Middle East, the United States, and even Australia are subjected to threats and violence for doing their jobs, and Trump’s stance helps allow such behavior.
Of course, not all journalists are treated this way. Fox News’ chief political host Bret Baier and his wife were on the guest list for the Saudi state dinner.
Ultimately, the day made clear how differently Trump treats those who have something to offer him compared to those who are expendable.
In Washington they say if you want a friend, get a dog. If you want to be respected in Trump’s orbit, bring a check.
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