The goal of the White House, per Donald Trump’s instructions, is for Donald Trump to be on television everyday.  Mission accomplished.  The news value of these photo ops could be debated but one thing we learn every day is this:  Donald Trump is winging it.  There is no plan beyond him appearing on camera.  His words, by design or not, provide soundbites and headlines.  Once we’re past the midterms, our bet is Trump goes dark, or to Mar-a-Lago, or both.  Today’s photo op did generate this headline about Jamal Khashoggi.  After covering for the Saudis for days, Trump had now decided to condemn them.

ON THE SAUDI’S STORY ABOUT JAMAL KHASHOGGI’S MURDER

Trump: “They had a very bad original concept. It was carried out poorly. And the coverup was one of the worst in the history of coverups. It’s very simple. Bad deal. Should have never been thought of. Somebody really messed up. And they had the worst cover-up ever. And where it should have stopped is at the deal standpoint, when they thought about it. Because whoever thought of that idea, I think is in big trouble. and they should be in big trouble.”

https://twitter.com/CillizzaCNN/status/1054852745394561026

ON THE CARAVAN MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL AMERICA

Reporter: Mr. President, one more thing on the caravan. You had said there were middle easterners… in the caravan. Can you explain that? Are you saying there are terrorists? 

Trump: Well, there could very well be, yeah. there could very well be. 

Reporter: Do you know for sure? 

Trump: I have very good information. I have very good information. 

Trump: I spoke with border patrol this morning the day before, I speak to them all of the time. And they say, and you know this as well as anybody. Over the course of the year, over the course of a number of years, they have intercepted many people from the Middle East. They have intercepted ISIS. They have intercepted all sorts of people. They have intercepted good ones and bad ones. They have intercepted wonderful people for the Middle East. And they have intercepted bad ones.

ON TRUMP’S DECLARATION THAT HE’S A NATIONALIST

Reporter: Mr. President, just to follow up on your comments about being a Nationalist. There is a concern that you are sending coded language or a dog whistle some Americans out there that, but what you really mean is that you’re a white nationalist. 

Trump: I’ve never even heard that. I can’t imagine that. I‘ve never heard that theory about being a nationalist. I‘ve heard them all. but I’m somebody that loves our country. When I say a nationalist, I don’t like it when Germany is paying 1% of GDP for nato, and we’re paying 4.3%. I don’t like that. That’s not fair.”

“I’m proud of our country. and I am a nationalist. It’s a word that hasn’t been used too much. Some people use it. But I’m very proud. I think it should be brought back.”