Trump pre-empts Israel's ban on Dem congresswomen with tweet implying he made them do it

Israel barred Democractic congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering the country today, an hour after Trump tweeted that the country would show "great weakness" if it allows them to visit. Israel gave as its rationale the congresswomen's support of boycotts against the country over its treatment of Palestinians.

The BBC:

Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were due to visit the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem next week. Both have supported the boycott movement against Israel and Israeli law allows supporters of the campaign to be banned from visiting. ... A statement from the Israeli Interior Ministry confirming the ban said it was "inconceivable that those who wish to harm the state of Israel while visiting would be granted entry". But only last month Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer said the two Democrats would be permitted to visit "out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America".

Trump instantly screws over everyone who supplicates to him. Netanyahu would not have wanted the ban to appear to be a response to Trump, Trump will have agreed with that stipulation, Trump's press secretary said it wasn't going to happen as a response to Trump, and then minutes later Trump pre-empts Israel's announcement with a tweet that gives the impression it is happening only at his behest. It's a perfectly Trumpian undermining of any strategizing that involves him.

Post-Brexit Britain is well-positioned to be a conspicuous victim of this cycle. Some elaborate plan to announce fast-track trade deal negotiations will have been worked on for weeks that smooths out all the bumps and accounts for all the wild and wooly ways media coverage and the negotiations themselves might go. Then as soon as the "expected today" reporting hits the wires, he'll tweet about how much he's looking forward to the American insurance industry modernizing the NHS.

Trump's press secretary just before 9 AM: It's not true that Trump told Netanyahu to deny entry to Omar and Tlaib

Trump just before 10 AM: Netanyahu should deny entry to Omar and Tlaib pic.twitter.com/WMcJYzHwyE

- Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 15, 2019

GOP heavyweights had earlier said such a ban would be a bad idea, understanding the precedent it sets.