NEW: I got the Trump administration’s first comments on the dispute between Saudi Arabia & Canada. They want to make it clear they’re not taking sides. (And they called Saudi Arabia & Canada “both close allies” which, um, only one is in NATO.)https://t.co/m0bHPYD7yC

— Akbar Shahid Ahmed (@AkbarSAhmed) August 6, 2018

There’s a lot of “well, look the liberal international order wasn’t all peaches and cream” talk right now. Sure. But by the same token this dispute illustrates your actually existing options (+/-): Canada or Saudi Arabia. The Trump WH claims they’re equal. They’re not. https://t.co/dEfN73Euw8

— Jasmin Mujanović (@JasminMuj) August 6, 2018

And just to be clear: yes, the US’ other NATO allies are taking note that, beyond Trump’s anti-NATO rhetoric and his anti-EU & anti-Canada tariffs, he is actively siding with a non-NATO state in significant diplomatic dispute. Ottawa will remember, so will the EU.

— Jasmin Mujanović (@JasminMuj) August 6, 2018