Donald Trump bows down to receive a medal from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Riyadh, May 2017
I spoke with CNN International’s John Vause on Tuesday morning about Donald Trump’s latest complications at home and abroad.
Watch from 9:50:
We begin with Trump’s ongoing effort to shield Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from any consequences over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The lines are drawn here. Donald Trump and the White House spun against the CIA report and its conclusions. Trump’s priority is “jobs and business”, by which he means arms sales….
But watch for the State Department and CIA to try and get the Saudis to move towards a ceasefire in Yemen, and to ease the blockade on Gulf neighbor Qatar.
EA on Al Jazeera: Will US Punish Mohammad bin Salman over Khashoggi?
We then chat about Donald Trump’s attempt to fob off the Trump-Russia investigation with his “homework” of written answers — which he says had no input from his lawyers — to Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
We come down to the question which we have had for 18 months. If there is a showdown, will Republicans in Congress allow Donald Trump to limit the investigation or will they say, “No, this must proceed to a conclusion which is not limited or curbed.”
It’s a big finish with discussion of the revelation of Ivanka Trump’s using a private e-mail account for hundreds of Government-related e-mails.
Given the other issues around Donald Trump and his family, given the possible violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause to benefit the Trump Organization, given the alleged tax manipulations of this President, given the alleged approaches of the President and his family to other countries for loans for their businesses, and given questions about Donald Trump’s abuses of power….
Ivanka’s e-mails are a molehill compared to this mountain.