Meanwhile in Libya

Heavy clashes broke out in the southern districts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, as forces loyal to the country's UN-recognised government launched a counterattack to repel fighters allied to renegade General Khalifa Haftar.

[...]

Haftar's Libyan National Army, which is allied to a rival administration in the country's east, launched an offensive to seize Tripoli more than two weeks ago, but it has been stopped in the city's southern outskirts by forces allied to the Government of National Accord (GNA).

[...]

Both sides claimed progress in southern Tripoli, but no more details were immediately available.

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Colonel Mohamad Gnounou, another spokesman, said Tripoli-allied forces carried out seven air raids against military positions held by Haftar's LNA. They included areas south of the city of Gharyan, 100km southwest of the capital, and an airbase at Al-Watiya, 50km further southwest.

Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for Haftar's forces, said Tripoli-allied forces attacked the airbase three times on Saturday.

[...]

The offensive, which Haftar said was aimed at cleansing Libya's western region of "remaining terrorist groups", has raised fears of a full-blown civil war in the oil-rich country, which has been mired in chaos since the NATO-backed toppling of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

  alJazeera

The president has to make those phone calls.  He doesn't have a Secretary of Defense.

You better impeach before there's no recognizable government in this country.

A phone call between President Donald Trump and Haftar on Monday, in which the United States leader praised the commander's "significant role in fighting terrorism" was likely to have emboldened the LNA further, said Abdelwahed.

The US and Russia declined on Thursday to support a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya. Moscow said it objected to the British-drafted resolution blaming Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence, and the US did not give a reason for its decision.

  alJazeera

We don't have to. We're special.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 residents of Tripoli staged a protest in the city's central Martyrs' Square on Friday to condemn Haftar's push on the city as well as world powers that back him, which they say include France and Russia, and now the US.

"The powers that support terrorism in Libya are France, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE," said Abdelrizaq Musherib, a protester.

"We condemn the criminal acts against the Libyan people and the support for the rebel Haftar. We also condemn the United Nations mission, because of their inability to handle the Libya situation," he added.

[...]

The French embassy in Libya tweeted in Arabic on Friday that Paris was "opposed to the attack" on Tripoli.

The White House revealed on Friday that President Trump spoke with Libya's Gen. Khalifa Haftar via phone call on Monday.

Trump reportedly praised Haftar, who is leading a rebel assault on the country's capital Tripoli, as he and his Libyan National Army try to wrest control from the incumbent United Nations-backed government.

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Trump's praise of Haftar is seen as a reversal of United States policy in Libya — Secretary of State Michael Pompeo demanded a halt to Haftar's assault earlier this month.

  The Week

Then of course Trump countermanded it. That's his signature move: undercut his cabinet, so there can be no question only he is in charge.

The news of the phone call reportedly led to thousands of Libyans taking to the streets in protest. "The call has no meaning, but we will respond to it," a protester told Reuters.

It is unclear why the White House waited several days to announce the phone call.

They had to wait until their heads stopped spinning.

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