MIKE POMPEO/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The rest of Washington may be turning on Donald Trump, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is standing by his man. After the president decided earlier this week to pull U.S. troops out Syria, he found himself isolated. Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned in protest. Normally friendly congressional Republicans raged. America’s allies were stunned…Such willingness to defend Trump — no matter the potential damage to his reputation — is par for the course for Pompeo. The diplomat is a former congressman from Kansas with a reputation as a highly partisan Republican, and he has worked exceedingly hard to stay in Trump’s good graces. He often tries to spin Trump’s unpopular actions in a positive light — even agreeing to pose for a smile-filled photo with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at the height of outrage over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Pompeo’s supporters say this is simply the secretary of State’s job: give honest opinions privately, but toe the company line publicly. But Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria — and potentially Afghanistan — has alarmed so many people in D.C. and beyond that Pompeo’s outward support risks squandering his credibility, critics say.”
–Nahal Toosi, “‘How he feels personally doesn’t matter’: Pompeo goes to bat for Trump,” Politico, December 21, 2018 2:15 pm