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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 18 May 2019
Iran tests President Trump’s ‘America First’ pledge

By ZEKE MILLER and STEVE role in solving the world’s
PEOPLES problems. Trump on Friday
Associated Press sought to blame the media
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- for the sense of mounting
dent Donald Trump won unease over Iran.
the White House pledging “They put out so many false
to wind down the nation’s messages that Iran is totally
many foreign entangle- confused,” he told a crowd
ments and put “America of real estate agents in
First.” But as his adminis- Washington, complaining
tration in recent days has about media coverage of
sent mixed signals on the his administration’s recent
prospects of a military con- moves. “I don’t know, that
flict with Iran, Trump’s cam- might be a good thing.”
paign trail promise is being People close to the presi-
put to the test. dent acknowledge that an
With the 2020 election ap- armed conflict in the region
proaching, the political is a real possibility.
pitfalls ahead for the first- Liberty University President
term Republican president Jerry Falwell Jr., a Trump
could be serious. confidant, signaled sup-
While Trump enjoys over- port for a military solution
whelming support from his if needed to prevent Iran
party, there is little appe- President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the National Association of REALTORS Legislative from obtaining a nuclear
tite among his loyalists for a Meetings and Trade Expo, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Washington. weapon — so long as the
new military conflict in the Associated Press United States wouldn’t take
Middle East. Many are will- party, the president is trying East,” said Corey Stewart, Public Affairs Research. Like the lead role in a prospec-
ing to give him the benefit to play down the possibil- who led Trump’s 2016 cam- other issues, the partisan tive war.
of the doubt for now, but a ity of hostilities. He held the paign in Virginia. “It does divide was overwhelming: “Whatever needs to be
string of recent moves has door open for negotiations concern me that the presi- 76 percent of Republicans done to keep Iran from be-
sparked concerns that the over Iran’s nuclear pro- dent has (national security approved, while just 8 per- coming a nuclear power
administration was beat- gram and malign activities adviser John) Bolton and a cent of Democrats said the needs to happen,” Falwell
ing the drums toward war. in the region amid reports lot of these neocons advis- same. Yet the Republican said in an interview. “I’m
Among the possible precur- that he was pushing back ing him. That’s clearly not Party under Trump’s leader- not saying the United States
sors to military conflict: new against his more hawkish what he ran on and what ship has shifted away from needs to do it. Somebody is
sanctions on Iran’s Revolu- advisers’ preference for a most Americans want.” wanting the United States going to need to do it.”
tionary Guards, the deploy- military solution. Foreign policy threatens to play an aggressive role He added: “The way that
ment of a U.S. aircraft car- Prominent Trump support- to be a significant political in world affairs. Foreign it balances out, it might
rier to the region and pub- ers offered a pointed warn- liability for Trump head- policy hawks in the GOP be Saudi Arabia and Israel
lic warnings of unspecified ing on Friday about the ing into his 2020 reelection who have long embraced that go to war with Iran.”
intelligence that Iran might prospect of a new war, campaign. a muscular foreign policy J.D. Gordon, director of na-
strike at American interests. which they view as a direct Overall, 63 percent of have been marginalized in tional security for Trump’s
Asked this week if the U.S. violation of his “America Americans said they dis- recent years, dismissed as first campaign, described
was going to war with Iran, First” pledge. approved of his job han- “globalists.” Iran as “a delicate bal-
Trump said simply: “I hope “It would be a disaster for dling foreign policy, ac- By contrast, Democrats are ance” for the president,
not.” him and for the country cording to a January poll now far more likely than who is surrounded by advis-
Aware of the potential getting into another military conducted by Associated Republicans to say the U.S. ers who “generally agree
backlash from within his engagement in the Middle Press-NORC Center for should play a more active with his worldview.”q

Government audit: Carson’s $40K office purchases broke law

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hous- than $31,000 and the dish- new blinds for Carson’s of-
ing and Urban Develop- washer cost nearly $9,000. fice suite. Sen. Jack Reed
ment Secretary Ben Carson Carson told lawmakers of Rhode Island, the top
violated the law when his last year that he was un- Democrat on the Senate
department spent more aware of the purchase and appropriations subcommit-
than $40,000 to purchase a canceled it as soon as he tee that oversees HUD, said
dining set and a dishwash- learned about it in news re- that while the amount of
er for his office’s executive ports. He also told a House money may be small, it’s a
dining room, government Appropriations subcom- “willful disregard for the ap-
auditors concluded. mittee that he left furniture propriate use” of taxpayer
In a report released Thurs- purchasing decisions to his dollars. “There needs to
day, the Government Ac- wife. But emails released by be more accountability at
countability Office said watchdog group American HUD and stronger oversight
HUD failed to notify Con- Oversight suggested that of the Trump Administration
gress before exceeding a Carson and his wife, Candy or else this pattern of unlaw-
$5,000 limit set by Congress Carson, both played a role ful behavior will continue,
to furnish or make improve- In this Oct. 26, 2018, file photo, Housing and Urban Development in choosing the furniture. and I worry it won’t just be
ments to the office of a Secretary Ben Carson speaks to the audience before President The GAO said HUD did a small amount of money
Donald Trump speaks at the 2018 Young Black Leadership
presidential appointee. Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington. not break the law when it the next time,” Reed said in
The dining set cost more Associated Press paid more than $4,000 for a statement. q