Oh, Snap!

Now that's what I'd expect from Nikki Haley.  With daggers.

President Donald Trump gave approval last week for rolling out airstrikes in Syria as well as new sanctions on Russia, according to three senior administration officials — but U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley wasn’t briefed on changes to the sanctions plan before announcing it Sunday on national television.

[...]

“Russia sanctions were a part of the agreed-upon plan going into the strike and going into the weekend,” said a senior administration official. “As recently as Saturday, that was reconfirmed as part of the plan.”

The Republican National Committee distributed talking points on Saturday morning in the wake of Friday’s airstrikes that specifically mentioned new sanctions, though not a specific timeline, according to a copy obtained by POLITICO.

[...]

Senior administration officials gave divergent explanations Tuesday for why the president backed off imposing sanctions on Russia after Haley’s public announcement.

[...]

Several national security officials said Haley did not learn of any decision not to move immediately on sanctions before she appeared on the Sunday television shows, a communications snafu that sparked a widespread response among foreign officials.

[...]

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters Tuesday that Haley simply “got out ahead of the curve” on the sanctions, which she said on “Face the Nation” would be announced by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “on Monday, if he hasn’t already.” She also made reference to a Monday sanctions rollout during a separate appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”

“There might have been some momentary confusion,” Kudlow added.

  Politico

Kudlow better watch his back.

A White House official, speaking on background, said on Tuesday night that Kudlow had called Haley and apologized.

That might not be enough. If I were advising him, I'd suggest at the very least he make that a public apology.

Others [...] say the president simply changed his mind, though it’s unclear whether he did so before or after Haley’s television appearance.

He better watch his back, too.

On the other hand, it might have been intentional. The man is nasty.

Over the weekend, Trump also fumed over Vice President Mike Pence’s plans to hire Haley’s senior adviser, Jon Lerner, as his own national security adviser, due to Lerner's role producing anti-Trump television ads during the Republican primary. On Sunday, Lerner informed the White House he would not take the position.

[...]

Some in the West Wing have called Haley’s statement an error, but she herself has not apologized for it.

Haley has at times departed from official White House talking points, telling CBS News late last year that women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct “deserve to be heard” while the White House has dismissed their claims out of hand.

Nikki may want to keep an eye on Trump's tweets for notice of termination.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

We here at the shebeen would like to welcome U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to our Frequent Suckers Club. Membership is reserved for those people who put their names and reputations in the hands of the current president*, only to have him sell them out, cheaply. First drink is on the house, ma’am.

[...]

Not for nothing but, back on April 6, the management of the shebeen, on the strength of a recommendation from the invaluable Sarah Kendizor and a story from NBC News, cautioned all patrons to the effect that “announcing” sanctions, and “imposing sanctions,” and “enforcing” sanctions are all different activities. This is especially true under this president*, whose mind swirls with foul breezes only he can feel.

[...]

I don’t think he deliberately sells the most loyal of his people out. I don’t think his mind works that way. I think he sees everyone close to him as fungible assets, like his casinos and his estates. They are also useful when the law and the math close in on him, so he sells them off. There’s never enough room through the loopholes for him and them, so they’re out of luck. He sells people off, not out. Nikki Haley is merely the most recent transaction.

And, of course, this whole mess is another demonstration, as if we needed another one, of the unavoidable truth that the president* will do anything to keep from getting truly serious with Vladimir Putin and the government of Russia. James Comey is unassailably correct about that.

  Charles P Pierce

UPDATE: