Brooks and Capehart on Trump's Middle East Policy, Birthright Citizenship, and Comey's Post

Trump's Middle East Trip and Policy Shifts

• ✈️ President Trump's first foreign trip focused on the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, regions where the Trump family has business ties.
• 🤝 A key takeaway was Trump's shift on Iran, moving from withdrawing from the nuclear deal to exploring a new deal, a move David Brooks views as positive given Iran's weakened state.
• 🗣️ The Riyadh speech signaled a departure from traditional bipartisan foreign policy, emphasizing non-interference in other countries' governance and a move away from nation-building.
• ✈️ Jonathan Capehart highlighted the trip as a mix of good (Iran flip), bad (the speech's implications), and ugly, citing the controversy over Qatar's gifted plane to the President.

Birthright Citizenship and Immigration Reality Show

• ⚖️ The Supreme Court heard arguments on birthright citizenship, a concept codified 100 years ago and affirmed by the 14th Amendment.
• 🇺🇸 Brooks emphasized that birthright citizenship is a long-standing American tradition, distinct from European-style conservatism.
• 📺 The Department of Homeland Security is considering a reality show about immigrants competing for citizenship, a concept met with mixed reactions.
• 🎭 While some see potential for celebrating immigrant journeys, concerns were raised about the show's potential to be demeaning given the current political climate and the Trump administration's stance on immigration.

James Comey's Social Media Post

• 🐚 Former FBI Director James Comey posted an image of seashells with numbers, interpreted by some as a coded message related to Trump's presidency (47th president) and a slang term for removal ('86').
• 🤔 Brooks suggested Comey, an earnest intellectual, likely used '86' in its diner slang meaning of 'out of something' or 'get rid of it,' without intending violence.
• 📅 Capehart found the post boneheaded, especially given Comey's business of social media, and noted the timing of the post coinciding with the release of his book.