, The Daily Beast; How Trump’s Four Ugly Words Reveal the Worst Is Yet to Come
"On Tuesday, Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to his gold-plated throne room in the White House, as part of two days of high profile activities in Washington. When ABC News’ Mary Bruce asked Trump about Salman’s responsibility for the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the president publicly insulted her, too. And then, he went further. “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman you’re talking about. Whether you like him, or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said. “But (the Crown Prince) knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.”
Rather than defending a U.S. resident brutally hacked to death by thugs, Trump chose—in a moment that was as revealing as it was revolting—to attack the man who was murdered, protect the alleged murderer and, as he has done before, accept the word of an autocrat over the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.
Yet again, Trump is demonstrating that as long as he is president, any pretext that U.S. policy is grounded in morality, fundamental values or the law is out the window. The “things happen” ease with which he rationalizes actions and events that would be objectionable or even intolerable to any ethical leader may be characterized as the one overarching precept of his presidency–what we might call the ‘Trump Doctrine.’...
“Quiet, Piggy!” and “Things happen” are a distillation of Trump to his very essence. One manifests his vileness and contempt for women. The latter reflects his dangerous immorality...
We have all seen the damage those fantasies have done thus far. With warnings like this past week suggesting that greater danger lies ahead, we need to brace for worse to come. And those in the Congress, the courts, throughout the government and across society who are in a position to help contain the worst impulses of the man that the worst person in the world actually thought was even worse than him, will need to prepare to so and do so with unwavering resolve."
