John Bolton's book has no shockers, but is the writing on the wall for Donald Trump?


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US president Donald Trump has had some bad weeks before, but the past seven days delivered a series of especially damaging and often inter-connected blows to his re-election prospects.

A Supreme Court decision written by his own appointee, Neil Gorsuch, effectively bans discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. This directly counters Mr Trump's persistent targeting of transgender Americans regarding military service and health care.

It has shocked and horrified some of his conservative supporters. Prominent evangelical Christians rationalised their support for the notoriously libertine Mr Trump on grounds that his judicial appointments would advance their conservative social agenda. Mr Gorsuch was viewed as the prime example. That argument is now in tatters.

In this May 2018 file photo, US President Donald Trump speaks alongside then national security adviser John Bolton in Washington. AFP
In this May 2018 file photo, US President Donald Trump speaks alongside then national security adviser John Bolton in Washington. AFP

The court quickly delivered another stinging blow, blocking the President's unpopular efforts to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants who, although now upstanding members of society, were as children brought to the country illegally.

Mr Trump can keep trying to deport them on some other basis. But given the timeline he will have to get re-elected first.

Those prospects are not exactly bolstered by a memoir by his former national security adviser John Bolton, which the administration tried but failed to suppress. Last week, it was shipped around the country, widely reviewed and even posted online.

Mr Bolton writes that Mr Trump pursues "obstruction of justice as a way of life", and cares only about his re-election prospects. I have consistently argued in these pages that Mr Trump is always focused on politics and never policy. Mr Bolton confirms that is exactly right.

In addition to corroborating the worst allegations from the Ukraine scandal that led to Mr Trump's impeachment, Mr Bolton adds numerous other outrageous accusations.

The worst, perhaps, is Mr Bolton claiming that Mr Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him secure re-election, including by buying more American agricultural exports. Mr Bolton says another senior official, Matthew Pottinger, informed him that the President had said similar things to the Chinese leader in the past.

If true, Mr Bolton's allegations confirm Mr Trump's striking ignorance of international affairs, wondering if Finland is part of Russia and surprised that Britain has nuclear weapons.

Mr Bolton is widely viewed as an extremist, and now almost universally as an unpatriotic, self-serving cynic as well. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other administration officials and supporters brand him a traitor. Democrats are disgusted that he withheld this information, which could have greatly pressured the Senate to remove the President, to sell a book.

But, unlike some others, he has no history of compulsively telling extravagant lies. The Trump administration's accusations that his book is full of falsehoods are contradicted by their simultaneous claims that it reveals plenty of classified information, since there is no such thing as a classified lie.

US President Donald Trump poses for pictures with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Nato summit in London in 2019. AFP
US President Donald Trump poses for pictures with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Nato summit in London in 2019. AFP

Mr Bolton's book probably would not make much of a difference on its own. Anyone surprised by these disclosures must have been asleep for the past three years. But the book is not floating in a vacuum.

For example, it describes another incident of apparent past misconduct linked directly to an additional major new controversy. Mr Bolton says that in 2018, Mr Trump promised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would dismiss a federal prosecutor in New York who had indicted a bank owned by the Ankara government and quash that bothersome investigation. On Friday at 9pm, the Justice Department announced that very prosecutor had indeed been suddenly fired under extraordinary and highly suspicious circumstances.

The prosecutor, Geoffrey Berman, was responsible for convicting the President's former attorney, Michael Cohen, of corrupt acts on behalf of Mr Trump (identified in that case as “Individual 1”), including paying hush money to two former paramours. His office has also been investigating, among others, the President’s current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Precisely what necessitated this unexplained, abrupt and dead-of-night dismissal remains unknown. But it was obviously urgent and drastic, and that paints a powerful picture of panic and potential corruption.

  • US President Donald Trump, centre, walks toward the stage while supporters cheer during his campaign rally at Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US. Tulsa World via AP
    US President Donald Trump, centre, walks toward the stage while supporters cheer during his campaign rally at Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US. Tulsa World via AP
  • US President Donald Trump reacts to the crowd as he arrives onstage at his first re-election campaign rally in several months in the midst of the coronavirus disease outbreak, at the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Reuters
    US President Donald Trump reacts to the crowd as he arrives onstage at his first re-election campaign rally in several months in the midst of the coronavirus disease outbreak, at the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Reuters
  • US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bloomberg
    US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bloomberg
  • US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally inside the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
    US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally inside the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
  • US President Donald Trump speaks at BOK Centre during his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa World via AP
    US President Donald Trump speaks at BOK Centre during his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa World via AP
  • US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
    US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
  • US Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a campaign rally for President Donald Trump at BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa World via AP
    US Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a campaign rally for President Donald Trump at BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa World via AP
  • Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, speaks during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
    Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, speaks during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
  • Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado speaks before US President Donald Trump arrives. EPA
    Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado speaks before US President Donald Trump arrives. EPA
  • Attendees cheer while US President Donald Trump speaks during his campaign rally. Tulsa World via AP
    Attendees cheer while US President Donald Trump speaks during his campaign rally. Tulsa World via AP
  • Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold placards during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa. EPA
    Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold placards during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa. EPA
  • Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold placards during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa. EPA
    Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold placards during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa. EPA
  • Empty seats are visible in the upper level at a campaign rally for US President Donald Trump at BOK Centre. Tulsa World via AP
    Empty seats are visible in the upper level at a campaign rally for US President Donald Trump at BOK Centre. Tulsa World via AP
  • US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to the crowd at the BOK Centre after his first re-election rally. Tulsa World via AP
    US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to the crowd at the BOK Centre after his first re-election rally. Tulsa World via AP
  • My Pillow CEO Michael Lindell, centre right, poses with supporters of US President Donald Trump during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre. EPA
    My Pillow CEO Michael Lindell, centre right, poses with supporters of US President Donald Trump during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre. EPA
  • Supporters of US President Donald Trump gather during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre. EPA
    Supporters of US President Donald Trump gather during a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre. EPA
  • Supporters of US President Donald Trump wait in line to enter a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA
    Supporters of US President Donald Trump wait in line to enter a rally inside the Bank of Oklahoma Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EPA

To overcome his persistent and mounting woes, particularly stemming from the coronavirus public health and economic crises, Mr Trump was counting on a dramatic political turnaround starting with a huge rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday night. But his campaign bungled the job. They claimed a million people requested tickets and planned a full house of 19,000 and an overflow area of 40,000 more. Yet it was sparsely attended and seemed anything but the promised triumphant display of "American comeback". If the event was meant to serve as a visual representation of economic and social rejuvenation and dynamism, it flopped spectacularly.

One highlight involved the President at length and with considerable fanfare demonstrating his ability to drink a glass of water without using two hands. He may regret saying that he ordered a slow-down in coronavirus testing to depress infection-rate statistics. As often after such damaging statements, Mr Trump’s aides implausibly insisted he was just "joking".

But even among those who accept that, with more than 120,000 Americans dying of Covid-19 in recent weeks, it is unlikely to prompt many chuckles. It will be even less amusing if the rally gives rise to a correlated set of new infections, as many public health officials fear.

Meanwhile, former vice president Joe Biden, who is barely campaigning or visible, is registering double digit leads in many polls. Five months is a long time in politics and underestimating Mr Trump is demonstrably ill-advised. But in many ways, the presidential race is now essentially Mr Trump versus Mr Trump. And he seems totally unable to re-create the magic, such as it was, of four years ago.

It is going so badly that some of his aides are quietly wondering if a self-sabotaging part of him would welcome leaving the White House.

Whoever wins in November must primarily shepherd the US through a slow, painful recovery. There is little glory likely in that for a President exclusively fixated on personal adulation and aggrandisement. For Mr Trump, winning could prove even more painful than losing.

Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States ­Institute in Washington

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Marathon results

Men:

 1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13 

2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50 

3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25 

4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46 

5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48  

Women:

1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30 

2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01 

3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30 

4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43 

5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01  

UAE squad to face Ireland

Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind

The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester

Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)

Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder

Transmission: Continuously variable transmission

Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
RESULTS

6.30pm: Handicap (rated 95-108) US$125,000 2000m (Dirt).
Winner: Don’t Give Up, Gerald Mosse (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).

7.05pm: Handicap (95 ) $160,000 2810m (Turf).
Winner: Los Barbados, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

7.40pm: Handicap (80-89) $60,000 1600m (D).
Winner: Claim The Roses, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.15pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (Div-1) Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D)
Winner: Gold Town, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

8.50pm: Cape Verdi Group 2 $200,000 1600m (T).
Winner: Promising Run, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.25pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D).
Winner: El Chapo, Luke Morris, Fawzi Nass.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

THE APPRENTICE

Director: Ali Abbasi

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 3/5

Results:

6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash

8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson

9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash

 

 

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

MATCH INFO

Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.

Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry

4/5

The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books

PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

A general guide to how active you are:

Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary

5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active

10,000  - 12,500 steps - active

12,500 - highly active

Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019