Trump Lashes Out Over Venezuelan War Powers, Not Saudi Arms Deals
The Hill reports Trump's criticism of GOP senators over a vote to restrict presidential military action in Venezuela, framing it as a betrayal of his 'America First' doctrine. Yet, the same 'America First' principle apparently didn't apply when his administration pushed through massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia, bypassing congressional review (AP, May 24, 2019). One might wonder why Venezuelan
adventurism merits such a strong defense of checks and balances, while arming a regime implicated in Yemen's humanitarian crisis (UN, September 10, 2019) gets a pass. It appears the 'grave constitutional questions' only become grave when they challenge the carefully crafted image rather than the actual exercise of power. The selective outrage is less about constitutional fidelity and more about
calculated political posturing, a performance designed to energize a base that conveniently forgets the consistency required for true principle.