Major developments happening in Saudi Arabia including the arrest of former King Abdallah chief of staff, prince Al Walid Bin Talal, and heads of the main three Saudi owned television stations.  Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Trump ally) leads the way:

Eleven princes, four sitting ministers and ‘tens’ of former ministers have been arrested on orders from the new anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday evening according to sources. (LINK)

NOTE: It’s important to understand the use of the word “corruption” as it pertains to the domestic consumption of news in KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).  In these examples, “corruption” is expressed as self-interested financial corruption as in: ‘activity against the people’.  However, within KSA politics, adverse political action targeted against the state is framed as ‘corruption’ through internal broadcast.

President Trump, May 2017: “Drive Them Out” … “Our goal is a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism and providing our children a hopeful future that does honor to God.”

I’ll outline some recent actions we’ve been tracking that will highlight today’s events, and yet encapsulate some larger issues.  It is critically important to remember, KSA is in a state of realignment away from extremism –REMINDER– and President Trump has committed his support to the reform agents King Salman, and more importantly, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the future leader of Saudi Arabia.   You can easily connect-the-dots.
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Against the backdrop of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the House and Senate Intelligence Committees (Nunes), and the Senate Judiciary probe into the FBI (Grassley), there’s a great deal of various investigative information swirling around.  It’s very easy to get lost amid all the headlines; perhaps it’s intended that way.

From a high-level overview, and counter to the narrative du jour, it still appears Robert Mueller is more focused on the overall foreign influence into DC policy -and the various corruptions therein- than specifically focused on Hillary Clinton and/or President Trump and the vast “Russian Conspiracy” theories.  That perspective is being noticed by a FEW.
The various Senate (Intel and Judiciary) and House (Intel, Oversight) committees skirt through the same general probe direction as Mueller but break away from the Mueller probes as congress narrows toward “internal corruption” within the DOJ and FBI.
Taking out the “Russia Angle” for a moment [which congress should (IMHO) leave to Mueller], House Intel Committee Chair Devin Nunes and Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley appear headed toward investigative discoveries within the politicized action of the FBI and DOJ; and how those agencies interact with the larger Intelligence Community and the corruptive influences within the deepest part of the swamp.
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According to several reports Senator Rand Paul was attacked Friday at his home in Kentucky.
Previously Senator Paul and a dozen congressional republicans survived an assassination attempt at their congressional baseball practice; the latest assault happened at his home.

(Via The Hill) […]   “Senator Paul was blindsided and the victim of an assault,” Kelsey Cooper, a spokeswoman for Paul, said in a statement. “The assailant was arrested and it is now a matter for the police. Senator Paul is fine.”
The suspect was identified as 59-year-old Rene Boucher of Bowling Green, according to a statement from police. The Warren County Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Boucher’s arrest shortly after the assault on Friday. (read more)

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President Trump and First Lady Melania depart Hawaii at 7:20am (local) / 1:20pm (EST) Saturday for their flight to Japan.  This should be an enjoyable portion of the 12-day trip as President Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are good friends, and Mrs. Melania Trump and Mrs. Akie Abe have met several times and have a good relationship.

On Sunday morning, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will arrive in Tokyo, Japan. The President and the First Lady will participate in a Yokota Air Base event. In the afternoon, the President will have lunch with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and professional Japanese golfer Mr. Hideki Matsuyama. The President will then golf with Prime Minister Abe and Mr. Hideki Matsuyama. In the evening, the President and the First Lady will have dinner with Prime Minister Abe and Mrs. Akie Abe.
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United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was interviewed by Fox News host Laura Ingraham ahead of his important participation in the Asia trip.
Within the interview Ambassador Lighthizer shows his wolverine attitude toward the ongoing trade deals and his role within the larger geopolitical strategy of the Trump Doctrine.  There’s solid, affirming and unwavering economic insight within this interview.
Interestingly Lighthizer mentions the national security aspects inherent within the administration’s economic trade strategy. He details how his role, within the larger policy, is to focus intensely on achieving the best ‘America-First‘ trade deal possible. “Killers”.
Secretary Wilbur Ross (commerce), Secretary Steven Mnuchin (treasury), Secretary Rex Tillerson (state) and Secretary James Mattis (defense) then collate the outcome and ultimately President Trump makes the final decision.  Working in concert, together they map how to use the leverage within the Lighthizer’s deals to achieve national security objectives.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participate in a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial in Aiea, Hawaii, and present a wreath at the memorial.  11:30pm EST Livestream with Pearl Harbor Wreath Ceremony to follow shortly.
UPDATE: Video Added:

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President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Arrive in Hawaii on the first stop of their East-bound 10 day trip to Asia.   Upon arrival President Trump will attend an extensive briefing at Pacific Command HQ and then a visit to Pearl Harbor.
The President and First Lady were greeted with leis by Hawaii Gov. David Ige and his wife, Dawn Ige along with US Navy Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Command, his wife, Bruni Bradley; and Mikayla Webb, the daughter of Adm. Harriss aid.
President Trump was given a brightly colored orange and yellow lei decorated with Maile & Ilima flowers, a combination traditionally presented to royalty on the island. The first couple spent about 15 minutes shaking hands with a group of greeters, a mix of troops and civilians at the airport:

♦ 1:10pm local / 7:10pm Eastern THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Hickam, HI – Hickam Air Force Base
♦ 1:45pm local / 7:45pm Eastern THE PRESIDENT participates in a United States Pacific Command briefing, Aiea, HI
♦ 5:25PM local / 11:25pm Eastern THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial, Aiea, HI
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Internet researcher Katica (Twitter GOPollAnalyst) may have found the hidden thread that unravels a much bigger story within the Uranium One-Clinton-FBI scandal.
In an otherwise innocuous FBI FOIA FILE Katica located a notice for preservation of documents sent by an FBI special agent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on August 28th, 2015.  What is interesting about the preservation request(s) are the recipients, their attachment to CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States), and the timeline of events surrounding the agent’s notification.

The time-line here is very important as it might change the perception of exactly what the FBI was investigating as it relates to Hillary Clinton’s email scandal.  Therefore a backdrop to understand content and context is important.
Up to now the general perception of the FBI’s involvement surrounding the Clinton emails has been against the backdrop of using a personal email server to conduct business, and the potential for unlawful transmission of classified data.
Additionally, the circumvention of official information technology protocols was the narrative most often discussed. The headlines were “Clinton used bad judgement” etc.
In essence, throughout 2015, 2016, 2017 the arguments, including FBI legal probes, were thought to center around “process“.  However, Katica’s discovery re-frames that argument to focus on the subject matter “content” within the emails, and not the process.
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