(1) Forget the headlines from the lying, leaking, liberal MSM. Read the official statement here:

whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…

(2) The MSM critiques of the President's statement focus on peripheral aspects like his use of exclamation marks. Reflect on that, against the incredibly serious points made about Iran, international terrorism, global oil prices etc.

Which side is talking about what MATTERS?

(3) Every point POTUS made was already known to me, & to you, if you've been following actual events & trends, instead of the MSM spin.

YES the murder of Mr Khashoggi was AWFUL & it is NOT condoned by Trump, the US, or me, or you.

A President must consider the whole picture.

(4) One man was heinously murdered, by evil people. The population* in millions, of countries noted in the statement is:

USA 327
KSA 34
Iran 82
Yemen 29
Lebanon 6
Syria 18
Israel 8
Russia 144
China 1,415

*Rounded, source: worldometers.info/world-populati…

(5) Any President MUST consider the interests of EVERYONE affected by a decision he or she is about to make.

Millions and millions of people are affected by his decisions regarding countries like those in the Middle East.

Non-Presidents are free to talk the talk. That's fine.

(6) Do I dislike the stance that Senators Graham and Paul have taken? Yes.

Does that make me want to withdraw support for either of them? No.

Their votes for SCOTUS, circuit & district judges are essential to the survival of the US Constitution.

Other votes are useful, too.

(7) Key takeaways from today's statement on the KSA:

"The world is a very dangerous place!"

This first line drags us back to the reality that:
>Yes, people get murdered & it's terrible.
>The whole world IS a very dangerous place, so we must make excellent decisions.

(8) "The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for:
>a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen
>trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy
>supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon...

(9) "...
>propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens),
>and much more.

FOUR examples (and much more) of FAR WORSE ATROCITIES committed by Iran, against whom the relationship with Saudi Arabia is absolutely essential.

Got it?

(10) "Likewise, the Iranians have killed:
>many Americans
>and other innocent people throughout the Middle East.

Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror.”

MSM: Crickets.

(11) FACT: "Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend billions of dollars in leading the fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism."

MSM: Crickets

(12) Now, about the money.

The USA needs to increase its wealth IN ORDER TO keep its people (and others) safer, and that necessarily includes providing humanitarian aid to the victims of aggressors like Iran.

The USA can't afford to stop saving lives in this way.

(13) Admitting what basic economics tells us, enables us to understand why POTUS is right to make these points.

No money, no military defense, no coalitions against aggressors, no life saving humanitarian aid, no way to keep taking the highest no. of refugees in the world.

(14) Wording matters. The MSM ignore all of this paragraph.

"does NOT condone"

"against those ALREADY KNOWN" = will do the same if others are KNOWN to have been involved.

He uses the word know/known 3 times in just this para. #DueProcess #BelieveEvidence #NotAllegations

(15) "Representatives of Saudi Arabia say that Jamal Khashoggi was an “enemy of the state” & a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but my decision is in no way based on that – this is an unacceptable and horrible crime."

He's making clear that JK's actions DO NOT justify murder.

(16) Any MSM story that does NOT acknowledge the President's condemnation of the murder should be discounted. The same ppl writing such stories ignore the Muslim Brotherhood & everyone in it, or linked to it, who are involved in American politics.

That says a lot, doesn't it?

(17) "Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information"

but the MSM narrative is that POTUS doesn't believe them. Actually he does believe them since he took over, on Russian interference, and everything else.

He comments on what is known, as it is known.

(18) "but it could very well be that [MBS] had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did & maybe he didn’t!

That being said, we may never know all of the facts...

In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Absolutely crucial last point there.

(19) The US relationship is with the KSA, not the King, or the CP.

A country's relationship should always be with the country, not individual leaders. Under President Trump, this is the case, despite appearances.

The MSM ignore the official stuff in favor of tabloid nonsense.

(20) This statement is NOT about Donald Trump's relationship with Mohammed bin Salman.

It is about the USA's relationship with the KSA.

In this White House, the real work of government is seldom reported on by the MSM. That's why the public so easily falls for the MSM facade.

(21) "[KSA has] been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran.

[USA] intends to remain a steadfast partner of [KSA] to ensure the interests of:
>our country
>Israel
>and all other partners in the region."

Key word: Intends. He's not writing them a blank check.

(22) I have drafted countless statements for politicians over the years. They like to say they WILL do something, as much as possible. When they say they INTEND to do something, they are leaving room to adjust IF new info arises.

He said several times that it could. Reality.

(23) "It is our paramount goal to fully eliminate the threat of terrorism throughout the world!"

Of course he knows it can never be fully eliminated. That take misses the point.

This goal is crucial for the USA. Those who ignore it are dangerous, self-interested fools.

(24) A goal like fully eliminating terrorism everywhere is aspirational.

Promoting aspirational goals is core business for Presidents. They have all done it.

This one is a bit more achievable than hope and change.

#HopeIsNotAPlan #WakeUp #WalkAway

(25) The global war on terror never went away (thank God!).

A huge portion of American voters allowed the war to go on the back burner for a years because they found it icky.

Thankfully, a larger portion of voters remembered just in time that there's a war on.

(26) Every war in human history has included acts of gross injustice affecting smaller numbers of people than the millions who stood to lose everything if the war itself was lost.

In this statement, Trump denounces the murder & makes the case for regaining proper perspective.

(27) Referring to the Senators, "I will consider whatever ideas are presented to me, but only if they are consistent with the absolute security and safety of America."

Trump has ALWAYS been open to considering opposing points of view, and ALWAYS chooses national security.

(28) That's his number one Constitutional duty, as expressed in the Presidential oath of office. Just because predecessors placed politics ahead of the duty to protect the USA doesn't mean this one has to do the same.

#PrincipledRealism #TrumpDoctrine #PeaceThroughStrength

(29) And if you focus on where he was when he said that, you're a fool. It's utterly irrelevant.

I am trying to outline for y'all the key aspects of the #TrumpDoctrine in foreign policy.

HE places #AmericaFirst when considering national security. Period.

(30) "They have worked closely with us and have been very responsive to my requests to keeping oil prices at reasonable levels – so important for the world."

BUT BUT this is just about oil profits! #KeepItInTheGround and other inane slogans...

(31) Leftists, the phone on which you are reading this tweet is MADE FROM OIL.

No oil, no modern world. No 2,000 different product types that rely on oil. No medical products to save your life. No job when the economy tanks for generations.

#Read and #Think.

(32) Energy security is economic security, and that is national security, ie saving lives at home and everywhere else.

If the US abandons KSA over ONE murder case (ignoring the millions caused by Iran), your gas prices will SKYROCKET.

Facts don't care about your feelings.

(33) We're almost at the end of this thread.

"As President of the United States I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm. Very simply it is called America First!"

(34) "in a very dangerous world [the USA will continue]:
>pursuing its national interests and
>vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm."

"Vigorously contesting" is a great descriptor for what Trump is doing re countries like Iran.

We CAN fight back & we are.

(35) When you vigorously contest Iran and their many friends around the world and inside the US, it's going to get tough. Too bad.

My trust in this President & his administration to stand up for America & peace-loving allies gets stronger every day. #Thankful

#MAGA🇺🇸

END

(36) Shot, and chaser. Here is the transcript of Sec Pompeo's press conference today on several major foreign policy issues, which were largely ignored bc of the Khashoggi case. That's fine. US foreign policy under Trump will win, as usual.

state.gov/secretary/rema…