A Pivotal Week Ahead for Trump and America

Every week in the Trump era results in new scandals, important [and sometimes brutal] policy decisions and seemingly endless chaos in the White House. However, this week might be one we look back on as shaping events for the remainder of the year and beyond.

Trump's decision on withdrawal from the Iran deal is due by Saturday and it may define our engagement with both Iran and our allies for years to come. British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, will take his turn to convince Trump to remain in the deal with a visit to Washington this week. Even if Trump withdraws, Europe may remain committed further fracturing America's relationship with its allies. And no one is quite certain how Iran will react, but they warned yesterday that they may restart their nuclear program.

Trump’s nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel, will face questions about her involvement with the CIA's waterboarding program at her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Her testimony is sure to open old wounds inflicted by the controversial program.

The Administration is also expected to announce the date and location of Trump’s meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, and it's widely expected that N. Korea will announce that they will release 3 Americans from prison. Trump has taken credit for forcing N. Korea to negotiate and has raised expectations regarding the outcome of those meeting far beyond what most believe is achievable.

On May 14th the Trump administration will move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem which will further inflame Palestinian demonstrations in Gaza. Expect the already horrendous death toll to spike this weekend.

On the home-front, there are some important primary contests on Tuesday and we will be watching West Virginia where Mitch McConnell and Don Blankenship are locked in a struggle for what remains of the soul of the Republican Party. Apparently Blankenship has pulled ahead in the race for WV's Senate nomination, but President Trump and Mitch McConnell, remembering the Roy Moore fiasco, will pull out all stops in the next 24 hours to defeat him. Vox has a good recap of all the primary races here.

And then, of course, we will also have the Rudy Giuliani show.

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