🪚“MBS” Edition

Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet, a horse parade, and what appeared to be the entire billionaire contact list from his phone to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, because nothing says “American values” like honoring the man U.S. intelligence says approved the murder and dismemberment of a journalist and American citizen.

When asked about Jamal Khashoggi—the Washington Post columnist murdered by Saudi agents—Trump waved the topic away like someone interrupting his dessert order:

“Things happen.”

A bold stance, usually reserved for spilled milk, stubbed toes, and unexpected Wi-Fi outages, not state-sponsored killings involving bone saws.

He went on to declare MBS a “phenomenal” leader with an “incredible human rights record,” which is like calling a shark a phenomenal lifeguard. Trump also scolded a reporter for asking about murder, because apparently discussing assassinations is “embarrassing to our guest.” (Bone saws are fine. Questions are rude.)

Naturally, Trump insisted MBS “knew nothing about it,” despite U.S. intelligence concluding—very loudly—that he absolutely did. But why rely on the CIA when you can rely on your personal vibe check?

Meanwhile, MBS offered his own soothing thoughts: 9/11 was painful for everyone, Khashoggi’s murder was a “mistake,” and Saudi Arabia is definitely, absolutely, super-duper committed to making sure nothing like that happens again. (Ignore the part where they didn’t actually change much.)

And then came the real point of the visit: wealth, weapons, and anything Trump can slap his name on.

A $142 billion arms deal? Check.

F-35s for the Saudis? Sure, why not.

A “major non-NATO ally” designation? Absolutely.

A new Trump Plaza in Jeddah? Naturally.

Trump swore there’s no conflict of interest with his family’s Saudi business ventures—even as he praised investments and pitched real estate vibes from the Oval Office. All of this diplomacy culminated in Trump declaring:

“It’s an honor to be your friend.”

And in that moment, U.S. policy became fully aligned with a single guiding philosophy:

If a regime buys enough weapons, invests enough billions, and builds enough Trump-branded towers, “things happen” becomes acceptable foreign policy.

Mike Smith - King Features

Bill Bramhall - Tribune Content Agency

Chip Bok - Creators

Joel Pett - Tribune Content Agency

Dave Whamond - cagle.com/whamond

Matt Wuerker - Andrews McMeel

Michael de Adder - cagle.com/de-adder

Nick Anderson - Substack and Tribune Content Agency

Chip Bok - Creators

The Heritage Foundation has officially entered the “even conservative scholars have limits” era, after Princeton professor Robert P. George resigned from its board because Heritage’s president defended Tucker Carlson’s decision to interview white supremacist and professional dinner-table-ruiner Nick Fuentes.

George, a widely respected conservative intellectual, basically said: I’ve made mistakes, you’ve made mistakes, but defending Tucker Carlson interviewing Nick “Holocaust-denying livestream goblin” Fuentes is not a whoopsie. You need a full retraction.

Heritage president Kevin Roberts, however, could only muster a partial apology—“sorry for the phrasing,” not “sorry for defending a neo-Nazi fanboy.”.

Roberts’s original video didn’t help. In it, he bravely declared that Heritage would not bow to the “venomous coalition” criticizing Carlson. He then added, apropos of nothing, that “Christians can critique Israel without being antisemitic,” which is true, but also not what the controversy was about. It’s like responding to a fire alarm by clarifying your stance on recycling.

George summarized the problem perfectly: “We cannot pretend we have ‘no enemies to the right.’” Translation: Stop inviting white supremacists to the cookout, Kevin.

In the end, Robert P. George left with dignity, Kevin Roberts kept digging, and Heritage is now learning that when you defend Tucker Carlson defending Nick Fuentes, you don’t get a culture war victory. You get resignations. And staff mutiny.

And zero sympathy from anyone with a functioning moral compass.